How much sugar do you take in a day?

Have you ever given a thought to how many teaspoons of sugar you consume in a day?
This would mean all the sugar that you added in your tea,coffee,porridge and also that which was already present in the cakes,desserts,soft drinks, cookies and not to forget the ice creams that you had today!
The count could easily go upto 20-25 teaspoons (yes,just think of it: a can of cola has around 10 teaspoons of sugar in it). In other words,the amount of sugar you eat in a day would probably provide the calories equivalent to one meal for some!!
Till now there were no solid guidelines as far as sugar consumption was concerned,but now the American Heart Association has put out guidelines for sugar consumption for men and women. According to them a women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar and for men it should not be more than 9 teaspoons per day.
Sugar by itself does not increase the risk of heart disease,it is known to increase the risk factors like high levels of triglycerides, obesity and diabetes among others.
Although the number of teaspoons mentioned is just a rough estimate, you could calculate the amount required for each individual by using the USDA's website (this can also be used by parents who are interested in calculating the sugar allowance for their kids).
For those interested in learning more,check out:

• CNNhealth.com: Heart group urges daily limit on sugar
• USDA's website: MyPyramid Plan
• American Heart Association: Association recommends reduced intake of added sugars.
  
• Rebecca's website Chow and Chatter: Cutting Excess From Your Diet
  

Question: How many teaspoons of sugar did you take today?

Misal Pav ( Moth bean curry with traditional Indian bread)

Misal Pav

"Misal" is a traditional Maharastrian (from the state of Maharashtra) dish and actually means "mixture". It's made of sprouted Moth beans called 'matki' in Marathi. It's one of my husbands favourite Marathi dishes and though I grew up in the state of Maharashtra, I ate it for the first time when I visited hubby's hometown in Belgaum, Karnataka (which is situated very close to Maharastra).Till then I had only eaten it's counterpart and the more famous dish called "Pav Bhaji". Pav in Marathi means bread and seems to have originated from the Portuguese term for bread-"pao".
Today happens to be hubby's birthday and like always,I wanted to cook up something special. I was looking for ideas and had even asked a couple of friends for something new to make. The usual suggestions of "biryani,paneer butter masala, kofta" was politely turned down (cause I've been making similar stuff for the past b'day's) and then my friend Shilpa came up with this brilliant idea of making 'Misal Pav',and I thought "why not-it's his favorite,and I've never made it before"!!
This was sometime last week,so I spent a good amount of time surfing a couple of blogs for the right recipe as I've eaten it only once before and that too in a restaurant,four years ago. I finally zeroed it down to two recipes,that I felt must be the authentic way of making it.
The soaking and sprouting of the beans takes two days, so I had to do some 'back-calculation' as I like to call it,which went like this: Birthday-Wednesday,so soak beans on Monday night, Tuesday rinse beans and tie in muslin cloth and keep it in some place warm,and hope that it has sprouted on D-day!!
Since I haven't made any changes to the original recipes I saw in the two blogs,I'm just going to give a link to them. So,you can check out the recipes here(this one gives the recipes to make the masala as well) and here.
Shilpa had given me the all important masala which her MIL had made called "Goda Masala/Kala Masala" which gives this dish it's distinct flavour, so thankfully I didn't have to make any.
The 'misal' once ready, is eaten after mixing it with freshly chopped onions, coriander/cilantro, green chillies(optional), a little "farsan/Chiwda/Bombay mix" to give it a crunchy texture and a dash of lime. I substituted 'Potato rolls' for the pav and the end result was "simply superb" to quote hubby dear!!

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

"Tulsi" (Ocimum tenuiflorum) also known as 'Holy Basil' in English (not the same as 'Basil' found here in the US), is a very sacred plant to the Hindus. I remember we would have at least 5-6 plants of the two varieties of tulsi in our balcony back in Bombay,where I grew up. One variety had purplish-green leaves,which my grand mom said was called "Krishna" tulsi and the other had light green leaves and was referred to as the "Laksmi" tulsi. Both varieties have medicinal properties,but my grandmother believed that the "Krishna" tulsi was superior in it's healing properties.
It's generally believed that eating the leaves first thing in the morning is good for general well-being.We never used the leaves for any recipes as such, but it was used as a home remedy for coughs and colds. I still remember being given some sea salt and black pepper corn,wrapped inside a couple of tulsi leaves whenever I caught a cold/ sore throat (and how I hated chewing on it). Well,I wasn't much of a believer in natural remedies at that age, and popping a pill seemed like a more 'civilized' thing to little me! There was also a concoction of the leaves which was known as 'tulsi tea' with some honey and lime juice.
Ayurveda refers to tulsi as an "elixir of life" and believes it can promote longevity. It's used in a number of ayurvedic remedies including inflammation and malaria.
I've seen basil (Ocimum basilicum) here in the US (which is also supposed to have some anti-bacterial properties),but haven't really used it. In the past couple of days 'tulsi' has been popping up in conversations/emails .I even read about it in an article in the Times Of India's online edition.
India seems to be in the grip of swine flu and the author of the article(who happens to be a firm believer in natural and alternative remedies) lists 'tulsi' as one of the 10 home remedies to strengthen the immune system.
Right now strengthening the immune system to prevent getting infected from the swine flu sounds like the best option. I don't pooh-pooh the idea of natural remedies anymore(though I still would love to see studies to support the theory) and would not think twice about eating the leaves,if it means that I would be taking one less medication!

Question: Do you think plants have the ability to cure/prevent an ailment or do you feel that when it comes to curing, only 'modern' medicines do the trick?

Curd Rice (Yogurt Rice)

With the temperature oscillating between 103F-113F (40C-45C) the whole of last month,the thought of cooking and even eating food has been putting off. We've survived on all the "cooling foods" like ragi(finger millet) porridge, buttermilk, curd rice and loads of fruits,salads,juices and of course the family favorite-ICE CREAMS!!
Curd rice or yogurt rice is a "must have" in almost all South Indian homes. This is mostly the last course and is believed to be cooling. The everyday curd rice is just the addition of curd/yogurt and salt to rice and is eaten with pickles or some vegetable curry. When it's made as a separate dish, the "tempering" or "tadka"is added to it,which adds a distinct flavour and aroma to the dish. What you'll need:
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Cooked (and cooled) rice: 2 cups
• Curd/Plain yogurt: 1 1/2-2 cups
• Salt: to taste
• Fresh pomegranates/grapes: 1/2 cup (optional)
• Coriander leaves/cilantro: 1 tbsp chopped (for the garnish)

For the tempering:

• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal (split black matpe beans): 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves : 4-5 nos.
• Cashew nuts: 1 tbsp
• Green chillies: 1-2 nos.(chopped).

Method:

1. Mix the curd/yogurt and salt with the rice (add a little water if needed). Keep aside.
2. Heat a small saucepan and add the oil,mustard seeds, urad dal,cumin seeds.
3. When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the cashew nuts, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for a minute or two.
4. Pour the tempering over the curd rice and mix well.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and the pomegranates/grapes(optional)
6. Serve with any vegetable curry or with an Indian pickle or even a chutney.

P.S: I've been on a "blogging-break/vacation" for exactly a month now. I'd like to blame the weather (ever tried touching the laptop when it's 104F??), my family (who've accused me of becoming "addicted to the internet and blogging") and also the fact that I just wasn't able to think of new dishes/articles to share.
In the meanwhile I've been showered with loads of awards-thank you all SO much!! Will do a collective post for the awards next.

Question: What is your favorite dish when the temperatures start to soar?

Ever tried any of these??

I'm really curious..........about what?? Has anybody out there ever eaten or even seen any of these:

• Fifth Third Burger-at Fifth Third baseball park (Comstock Park,Michigan)
• Mega Mel Burger- at Mel's Country Cafe (Texas)
• 7-pound burrito- at Jack n Grills (Denver)
• Fried Banana Split- at the Texas State Fair
• Shack Stack- at Shake Shack (New York)

What's so great about these,and why am I so curious about some burgers/burritos/banana split??
I was just browsing through an article on WebMD,and it lists them as 5 of the most fattening food!! How fattening can they be? Here are the numbers (and yes,please keep in mind that most of us require less than 2,000 calories per day).

• Fifth Third Burger :4,800 calories
• Mega Mel Burger :4,556 calories
• 7-pound burrito : 3,764 calories
• Fried Banana Split : 2,000 calories
• Shack Stack : 1,500 calories

4,800 calories in one burger!!!! That's like the amount of calories your body would require in, say, two and a half days! Imagine getting 2 days worth of calories in one meal (that probably is their USP!). Seriously-I need to see these. Are they really large burgers(like the one's Jughead would order at Pop Tate's in the Archie comics I grew up reading)? Can a person really eat it in one go-or do they share it with someone or rather some people? If someone does eat it-do they feel hungry at the next meal or are they stuffed enough to skip the next meal/meals??
Source: WebMD: Extreme Eating: 5 Most Fattening Foods Ever!

Eating out always has it's downside-the cost,the hidden calories. So,what does one do? Stop eating out-well,not really. If you choose wisely you could end up with good healthy foods that are also "pocket friendly". Check out these cool slide show : Healthy Eating at Restaurants.

Question: Do you think it would be a good idea to put the calorie content next to the dish in the menu?

Masala Dosa( Savoury Crepes with Potato filling)

Where's the potato?

I've never been a potato fan,and no it has nothing to do with the fact that I happen to be a dietitian(I've always had people saying "oh-is it because you're a dietitian?". I still don't see the connection).To set the record straight ,I hated it even as a kid, when I had no idea 'what' or 'who' a "Dietitian" was!!
Anyway,later on I had a colleague who hated peas,and we made a happy pair since 'alu mutter sabzi' or simply put 'Potatoes peas curry' is a very popular combo in India. At work,with no parents around,we would happily pick and dump what we disliked into each others plate (me the alu/potatoes and she the mutter/peas). There are only two ways that I'd happily eat the potaoes-in the 'masala dosa' or as 'chips'.
Wondering why I'm delving into my love-hate relationship with potatoes-because it happens to be the BSI (Blogger's Secret Ingredient) for this week chosen by Christo at 'Chez What?'. I had to really make up my mind as to which dish to send-the one's which I make and 'have' to eat as the hubby likes it OR the one's that I can 'happily' eat but are too cumbersome to make,well at least for me it is(but I can picture my mom laughing at this point),and I chose the latter!
I've never made and never will make chips at home-so that was out of the question.That left me with the masala dosa,and I set about the task of making it first thing Tuesday morning(yes,now you know why I call it cumbersome).So,I stuck a blue post-it on the fridge on Monday night saying "soak rice+dal for the dosa first thing in the morning". Did the needful on Tuesday morning,then in the evening went about grinding the soaked stuff to a fine paste. Kept it overnight, hoping (with fingers crossed) that the weather will be warm enough for it to ferment and woke up this morning to a nicely fermented batter(fingers uncrossed)!!
Ingredients (for the potato filling):

• Potatoes: 4 nos. (boiled and coarsely mashed/cut)
• Green chillies: 1-2 nos. (slit length-wise)
• Onions: 1 large or 2 medium (cut lengthwise-and then cut into half)
• Ginger: 1/2" piece(chopped fine)
  
• Turmeric:1/2 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Channa dal/split black chickpeas/Myles: 1 teaspoon
• Cashew nuts: 4-5 nos(chopped)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan,then add the mustard, cumin and the channa dal.
2. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and the cashew nuts and stir till the cashew nuts are brown.
3. Add the ginger and fry till it turns a golden brown.
4. Add the slit green chillies,the chopped onions,turmeric powder,salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
5. Add the coarsely mashed potatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes. Set aside.

Ingredients (for the dosa):

• Rice: 2 cups
• Urad dal/ Split blackmatpe beans: 1 cup
• Cooked rice: 1 cup (or 1 cup flattened rice/poha)
• Fenugreek seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Method:

• Wash, then soak the raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours.
• Drain the water used for soaking.Add the cooked rice (if using flattened rice-wash,drain and let it stand for at least 10-15 mins), and about a cup of water and grind to a fine paste (should be as thick as the pancake batter).
• Let it ferment overnight (or for 10-12 hours) in a big bowl(the batter will rise if the weather is warm enough).
• Once it has fermented,add salt and mix. Then pour a ladleful of the batter onto a HOT pan and spread the batter with the ladle in a circular motion(going from the centre of the pan to the outside).
• Add a little ghee/butter/oil to the edges of the dosa and let it cook till you notice it getting golden brown from underneath.
• At this stage, place the yellow potato filling at the centre of the dosa and fold from both sides (like a wrap) or you could also fold it from three sides(the resulting dosa would looks like a triangle).
• Remove from the pan.Serve hot with a little cilantro chutney and sambar .
  

There's the potato!!

That's my "fireman" son eating his 'triangle dosa' with non-spicy potato filling (I have to make it separately with no green chillies)!! Phew,what a lot of work,but the result is worth every minute I spent on it! Thanks Christo for choosing the spud as the BSI for this week.
Note:

• Warm weather is crucial for the batter to ferment.
• The pan needs to be really HOT before you start making the dosas.
• The dosas can be made without the potato filling too- then it would be known as 'Plain Dosa' (not as much fun as eating the 'masala' variety).

Question: What is your favourite potato dish?

Spicy, "Garlicky" Peanut Chutney Powder

This is one of my husband's favourite chutney's and he just cannot stop sprinkling it over everything and anything! I had never tasted it (forget even making it) before I got married and had only heard about it from him(my MIL apparently would always have a batch of it in the house).
My family used more of coconut(milk/paste,etc) for our cooking as we are originally from a small coastal town in South India (Mangalore to be specific, for those who are familiar with India and Indian towns), whereas my hubby's family is more familiar to using peanuts in their cooking.
He sort of knew what ingredients his mom used for making it and asked me to try it. I tried making it a couple of times and every time he found something wrong with it-it was either not "garlicky enough"(even when I had added 10 garlic cloves!!) or "too pasty". Finally, fed-up with these comments,I decided to call up my MIL(why didn't I ever think of it before???? Silly me!!) and ask her how she makes it-that's when she told me my mistakes:

• use about 3-4 raw garlic cloves (I used to saute them in a little oil) to get the "garlicky" taste,
  
• and use a handful of roasted bengal gram dal(roasted and puffed split chickpeas) which not only adds to the taste but also absorbs the oil from the peanuts (and the moisture from the raw garlic) and hence the result is a "powder"chutney and not a "pasty" chutney!

Over the years,I've not only perfected the art of making this chutney powder,but also added my own "healthy" ingredient-flaxseeds!
Ingredients:

• Roasted peanuts: 1 cup(skinned)
• Roasted gram dal: 1/2 cup
• Garlic: 2-3 cloves
• Flax seed : 1 tablespoon (optional)
  
• Turmeric: 1/4th teaspoon
• Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon(add more if you want it spicier)
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Powder all the ingredients together to get a coarse chutney.
2. Transfer to an air-tight container and store in the fridge(should keep for about 2 weeks or maybe even more).

You can use it as a chutney or sprinkle a little on noodles/fried rice/salads or mix it with a little yogurt and use as a dip or as a filling inside sandwiches.

Question: Do you try and stick to a given recipe OR do you like to experiment by throwing in some other ingredients?

A 'special' chocolate aimed at fighting acne?

I had to share this(though I'm not convinced that it works). Growing up everyone has heard "don't eat too many chocolates-it's bad for zits/acne".So,what do they do? They come out with a special bar of chocolate that supposedly delivers micro-nutrients and antioxidants that help to clear the skin!!!
This so-called "Acne Care Chocolate's" manufactured by the US based company Frutels is about to hit the shelves in the UK and Australia. It claims that consumers need to eat about two to five(???) of these per day to see the results in about two weeks time!
Convinced? Well,I'm not. Let's wait and watch-only time (and some gullible teenagers) will prove whether the product really works or whether it's another gimmick.
Source:

• Daily Mail:A bar a day keeps the spots away: The chocolate 'cure' for acne.

P.S: Please note that this is a special "neutraceutical" chocolate and not the regular bar of chocolate!

Question: Would you buy these "sounds too good to be true" remedies OR would you rather wait for proven results before spending your well-earned money?

A spaghetti dish-with Spaghetti Squash!!

Spaghetti

So what's so great about me putting up a photo of a plate of spaghetti??
Look more closely-that's not your regular spaghetti-it's a SQUASH!!!!! A couple of weeks back when I was chatting with my brother, he had mentioned that he had recently tried spaghetti squash and that got me intrigued and I quickly put it on my shopping list. I found it quite easily,but I wasn't too sure if it was the right one as it looked no different from the rest of the squash where it was kept( I guess I was expecting something which at least vaguely resembled spaghetti),but the label on it very clearly said "Spaghetti Squash" and also had cooking instructions (thank you very much).

The instructions said that I could either bake it or microwave it-I microwaved it on high for about 7-8 minutes(after piercing the rind) and let it cool for sometime before cutting it open-and voila, there was the spaghetti just staring at me-beautiful!!!
I hadn't even thought of what to do with it. I could make spaghetti(after all it was named after it) or I could use it as noodles. Since this was the first time,I settled with a simple spaghetti dish with sauteed vegetables. The result was a nice crunchy dish( and it was all vegetables!!) which was very filling. Next time I'm going to be a little more adventurous and try out something new-maybe a salad, or maybe a stir-fry dish,or use it as noodles. Any suggestions??

Question: How would you like to try out Spaghetti squash?

A quiz,a slideshow and some awards!!

Ok-quiz time again( if you are a regular visitor to my blog,you'll know that I tend to throw in a health quiz once in a while)!! This time it's about "Brain-Foods".
Brain foods are foods that affect the performance of your brain. It has been proven that by eating the right food, you can boost your IQ, improve your mood, be more emotionally stable, sharpen your memory and keep your mind young.
You can take a quick tour on what are the different brain foods by going through this slide-show I found on WebMD: Brain Foods That Help You concentrate.

Once you've got an intro to the different brain foods,take a quick-quiz(just 7 questions) to see how much of brain food you need to include ;-)
QUIZ: Brain Foods:How Much Do You Know?

Finally,the award:

It's been raining awards, first it was Jenn(Bread+Butter),then Rebecca(Chow And Chatter),then Muneeba (An Edible Symphony), Renu (Renu's Kitchen), Kittymatti (Preethi's Online Cookbook) and finally Shubha (Munchscrunchandsuch).....whew!!! Thanks guys-that's so SWEET of you. Now I'm supposed to pass it on to 10 new blog's/award-so that makes it around a whopping 60 blogs!! Since I'm in a very generous mood-I'm just going to award it to all you fabulous bloggers who visit my blog!! Congratulations to all!

Question: no question for today,just answer the questions on the quiz !!

Pineapple Mulligatawny soup

Pineapple Mulligatawny Soup

There are so many versions of the famous "Mulligatawny Soup" (the literal Tamil translation being just "pepper water" ) that I decided to add my own version-a pineapple (yes,now that I have THE pineapple cutter I can actually experiment with pineapple dishes, since we seem to buying it almost every week) flavoured mulligatawny soup. The addition of the pineapple makes this soup a perfect soup for summer or winter!
Ingredients:

• Pineapple: 1 cup (chopped)
• Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
• Garlic:2 cloves(crushed)
• Ginger:1/2 " piece(finely chopped)
• Pepper: 1-2 teaspoon(freshly ground)
• Turmeric: a pinch
• Curry powder or Sambar/rasam powder:1/2 to 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies:1-2(slit lengthwise)
• Water/vegetable broth/dal water: 2 cups
• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar/Jaggery: 1 teaspoon(optional)

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Zeera/Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
• Peppercorns:3-4 nos.
• Curry leaves:2-3 nos.
• Hing/Asafoetida: a pinch (optional)

Method:

1. Puree half the quantity of the pineapple into a fine paste and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and peppercorns.
3. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves,turmeric and the asafoetida (optional).
4. Add the chopped ginger and the crushed garlic and stir-fry till slightly brown.
5. Then,add the chopped onions,green chillies and salt and saute till the onions are golden brown.
6. Add the pineapple puree along with the rest of the chopped pineapple pieces,curry or sambar/rasam powder,sugar/jaggery(optional) and stir continuously for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add about 2 cups of water/vegetable broth (or you could also use the water after boiling dal) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

Question: What is your favorite "summer" soup?

Great Find- A Pineapple Cutter!!!

If you don't already have this-go get it!!
I'm so thrilled with this gadget. I love pineapples but absolutely HATE cutting pineapples. My hubby and I always hesitate when buying pineapples(he hates cutting them too), so when he told me he saw a pineapple cutter and a mango cutter(why would anyone need a mango cutter-it's so easy to cut),I had to check it out!! So veni, vidi and I bought it !!

It's so easy,and there's absolutely no mess. You also get a beautiful pineapple shell to use as a bowl for all the wonderful dishes that you can make with pineapples!!

Tuna Cutlets (and why fish is good for your EYES)

Tuna Cutlets

Here's one more reason to increase your "oily" fish intake-the omega-3-fatty acids found in fish have shown to halt and slow down the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in lay-man's terms: AMD basically is a medical condition which is mostly seen in older adults and results in the loss of vision in the center of the visual field.
The research and findings conducted by Dr Elaine Chong at the University of Melbourne,Australia, involved 90,000 participants and showed that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could cut the risk of developing AMD by 38%.
Experts suggest eating oily fish like salmons,mackerel,tuna,shellfish and herring about twice a week to get the benefits of omega-3!
Sources:

• BBC News: Oily Fish Can Halt Eye Disease
• Telegraph: Diet rich in oilyfish can cut risk of developing eye disease.
  

Now a simple and tasty way of including fish into your diet: fish cakes or "cutlets" as they are called in India. This is my mom's method of making cutlets(thank you Angie of Angie's Recipes for reminding me of it).
Mom would first steam mackerel,then take out the bones and mix it with mashed potatoes and coat them in rava/ semolina instead of using bread crumbs. Rava absorbs much less oil and tastes equally nice. I used canned tuna,but it tastes great with just about any fish you fancy.
Ingredients:

• Tuna: 1 can (5 oz)
• Potatoes: 1 medium size (boiled)
• Onions: 1/2 (finely chopped)
• Cilantro: 2-3 tablespoons (finely chopped)
• Giner+garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
• Rava/Semolina: to coat the cutlets
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: for shallow frying
  

Method:

1. In a bowl coarsely mash the potatoes.
2. Drain the water from the tuna and add the tuna,chopped onions,cilantro,chillies,ginger +garlic paste and salt to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
3. Shape into cutlets and shallow fry till the cutlets turn golden brown.
4. Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

Question: How much of fish do you manage to include in your diet per week?

Chickpeas Chhole with Organic Spices!!

I was thrilled to bits on finding a sample kit of the Arora Creations Authentic Indian Spice Blend of Organic Spices in my mail box two weeks ago.I was quite intrigued when I first heard about it-Organic Indian Spice mix???
To date I've only bought masalas from the Indian store which are all made in India (yup,had always opted for the tried and tested route).To be honest, I was quite skeptical when I decided to use the first packet-the Chhole (pronounced as: Cho-ley) masala, and so I did exactly what was mentioned on the packet(I didn't want to be accused of a having a bias for Indian made stuff!!). The only three changes I did was a)to puree the tomatoes instead of adding chopped tomatoes and b) adding 2 green chillies(we love our chhole spicy) and c)reducing the quantity of oil to my regular "one teaspoon"!
The result-a chhole which reminded of the authentic stuff that you get in the "authentic" Punjabi restaurants back in India!!I got the biggest compliment from hubby and his friends too.Hubby thinks it's the best chhole I've EVER made-HUGE COMPLIMENT (for the Arora Creations Masala actually).Now I can't wait to try out the rest of the masalas for some more compliments ;-)
Here's the recipe with the changes:
Ingredients:

• Oil:1 teaspoon
• Ginger:1/4th cup (finely chopped)
• Onion:1/2 cup(finely chopped)
• Chickpeas: 3 cups boiled/30oz canned(drained and rinsed)
• Tomatoes: 2 nos.(pureed)
• Cilantro: 1/4th cup(chopped)
• Green chillies: 1-2 nos. slit(optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan,then add the chopped ginger and fry for a minute.
2. Add the chopped onions and salt and fry till they are golden brown.
3. Add the tomato puree and 1/2 the packet of Arora Creations Punjabi Chhole Spice Blend,stir for about 3-4 minutes.
4. Then add the chickpeas and about 1 cup of water and keep stirring for 5-6 minutes,until desired texture and remove from heat.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with chapatis/naan/rice.

Note:

• If you are expecting a reddish colour chhole-then forget it,this masala has absolutely no added colour (which is what I love!)
• Mash a tablespoon of the chickpeas and add to the gravy(this is a tip from my MIL who says this adds to the flavour).

Now,I'm just hoping I can find the brand locally(finger's crossed). Thank you Mr.Dhiraj Arora (and Mr.Michael Hurst) for sending me the sample kit and introducing me to a whole new world of spices.
Question: For ethnic dishes, do you prefer buying local brands of spices/mixes/pastes or do you feel that the brands originating from the respective regions are better?

Stuffed Green Pepper (with Chilly Tofu) Microwave Low-fat version

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum(with Chilly tofu)

I had first seen the recipe of Stuffed Green Bell Pepper (or "Capsicum" and "Shimla Mirchi"as it is popularly known as in India) when I was a kid and was skimming through one of my mother's magazines (I think it was either "Femina" or "Savvy") and came across this awesome looking photo of a stuffed capsicum(I wasn't into cooking then,so I can hardly remember what it was stuffed with, but I'm guessing it had potatoes).
I was so enamored with that photo that I bugged and begged my mom to make it and she finally relented and agreed to make it.So,the next day, off we went,my mom and little me in tow to the bazaar/market and bought a couple of the freshest,greenest and biggest looking capsicums for the recipe(the rest of the stuff which we bought has been deleted from my memory-I happen to have a limited memory space and I tend to save only the most important stuff). Anyway,we got home and my mom got busy in the kitchen with me doing the most important part-opening the magazine to the page where the recipe was and keeping it where my mother could refer to it.That done,I left my mom to do the cooking(she was the expert afterall)and I guess I must have whiled away the time till dinner.
When it was ready,we were called to the dinner table and I ran excitedly(again please note that I was never a good eater as a child and nothing other than chocolates got me excited) to take my place at the dinner table. That was when I saw what my mom had made and I burst into tears,and no-it was not tears of joy,but that of bitter disappointment!
It didn't resemble the dish in the book at all,infact it didn't even look like she had made the same dish.I ran into the kitchen and got the book and pointed it out to her(just incase she had made the NEXT recipe by mistake)-the photo was of a nice green bell pepper,with a perfectly green skin,no blemishes,filled with the yummiest looking stuff with a little firm cap on it.What actually sat on the table was a soggy, greenish brown mass barely able to hold the stuffing!! My mother and the rest of the family tried to explain that in the photo the bell pepper was not subjected to any cooking and was just to get(what I now understand is called) an "awesome shot".
The recipe called for the pepper to be fried,which made it change in colour and texture and hence the soggy mass sitting on our dining table. Whatever she made must have probably tasted great because she did make it a couple of times after that and even experimented with different stuffing's,but I really couldn't care. It was NOT what was in the book!!!

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum(the cooked version)

I've always loved the stuffed capsicum served at restaurants, but have found it way too oily to make on a regular basis. Looking for a healthier version I got the idea of "Microwave Stuffed Capsicum".  I had some tofu that I had bought to make "Chilly Tofu"(the recipe for which I have posted earlier). Since it was for a stuffing, the only change I made was to crumble the tofu instead of cutting them into cubes,and yes,I took a snap of the dish before and after cooking the bell pepper!!
Check out the recipe and ingredients for the "Quick Chilly Tofu" here.
To make this dish you will also need about 4 bell peppers (you can choose whatever colour you fancy).
Method:

1. Cut the bell peppers carefully at the top,and remove the seeds.
2. Apply a little oil to the outer side of the capsicum and microwave on high for 3-8 minutes (depending on the microwave)
3. Once they are ready,stuff it carefully with the "chilly tofu" (recipe given here) and serve.
4. You can even stuff it with paneer/ tofu/ egg burji (scrambled eggs). 

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum

P.S:

• Since I've microwaved the peppers, it doesn't look anything like the fried version that is imprinted in my memory.
• You could even 

Question: Have you ever followed a recipe to the T only to end up with a dish that didn't quite look like that shown in the book/magazine?

Ragi manni/pudding (Fingermillet pudding)

 Ragi Manni/pudding (Finger millet pudding)

Ragi (English-Finger millet,Chinese-䅟子,Arabic- Tailabon, German-Fingerhirse, French-coracan) is a popular millet in Southern India and is made into different dishes like porridges, puddings, pancakes,cookies, etc. Nutritionally,it is rich in the amino acid methionine and is among the few grains which contains a considerable amount of calcium.
Ragi is also given to babies as one of first cereals after rice(in fact Nestle India had launched a baby cereal mix with rice and ragi). My grandmother used to make ragi manni during summer, as it is believed in Ayurveda to cool the body.Traditionally it is made by soaking the ragi millet overnight in water,then grinding it to a fine paste and straining it in a cheesecloth.This is then cooked with jaggery and coconut milk,till it reaches a thick pasty consistency.It is then poured into huge plates and set aside to cool. The end product used to be simply amazing-a dark chocolate brown pudding(my gran used to tell me that it was Indian chocolate pudding,so that she could get me to eat it)that simply melted in the mouth.
Sadly,I could not find ragi millet here(not that I would have gone through the whole cumbersome process even if I had),but managed to get the ragi flour at the Indian store to make this instant version. I substituted milk for the coconut milk and the final product still was very tasty though it didn't have the same rich dark brown colour.Also,since it's not strained you can see brown specks of the ragi coat. The ragi manni/pudding can be eaten hot or cold(I love it cold)and had as a porridge for breakfast or served as a dessert or a healthy anytime snack(if you can mange to control the portion size)!
Ingredients:Serves 2

• Ragi flour: 1 cup
• Milk/Coconut milk: 2 cups
• Jaggery: 1 cup scraped OR Sugar: to taste
• Cardamom powder: 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt: a pinch

Method:

1. Mix the ragi flour with the cold milk and make sure there are no lumps.
2. Pour this into a saucepan and add the jaggery/sugar,salt and cardamom powder.
3. Cook on medium heat stirring continuously(take care to see that it doesn't form lumps).
4. When the mixture starts to thicken, reduce the heat and keep stirring till you get a porridge like consistency.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Serve the ragi manni (finger millet pudding) warm or chilled.

Note:

• You can substitute sugar for the jaggery, though it is more nutritious to use jaggery.
• Adding a pinch of salt is supposed to make the dish sweeter (not sure if that's really true).

Question: Do you feel that adding a pinch of salt to a sweet dish makes it sweeter or is it just an old wives tale?

Peas Raitha

Peas Raitha/Salad

My son loved this as it had all his favourite ingredients: peas,yogurt,honey!! I had some more plain Greek Yogurt from Oikos and thought I'd make this salad.Again,just like the cumin+yogurt dip,you can make it either sweet(add honey) or have it like the regular raitha with salt.
Ingredients:

• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Peas: 1 cup steamed
  
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 2 teaspoon (roast and pound when cool)
  
• Honey:2 teaspoon OR salt: to taste
  
• Mint leaves/Cilantro: 1teaspoon(chopped fine)

Method:

1. First,let the peas cool down to room temperature.
2. Then mix all the ingredients together.
3. Let it chill in the fridge for atleast half-an-hour.
4. Garnish with chopped cilantro/mint leaves and serve.

America's Fittest 5 Cities-2009

Well,well, well-what have we here?Guess which city has topped the list of the fittest city in the whole of the United States-it's none other than Washington D.C!!! Congratulations-looks like the capital is also leading by example in the fitness dept too. The other cities that made it into the top 5 position are:

1. Washington D.C
2. Minneapolis-St. Paul
3. Denver
   
4. Boston
5. San Francisco

The bottom three cities were Oklahoma City, Detroit and Birmingham,Ala.
The survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine took into consideration factors like availability of parklands, public transportation, death rate from cardiovascular diseases, smoking, amount of servings of fruits and vegetables per day and number of primary care physicians per capita among other things.
Looks like the first family have a lot to boast about along with their White House vegetable garden.
Read more:

• WebMD: Check out the entire listing and see what position YOUR city takes.
• USA Today: The Nation's Capital is now a Fitness Capital Too.

Tangy Masala Bread

Masala Bread with Yogurt Dip

"Masala bread" or "Bread Uppma" is a great dish to have for breakfast or as a brunch on a lazy Sunday morning or even as a snack with a nice cup of "chai" in the evening.
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

• Whole wheat bread: 4-5 slices (cut into small squares)
• Onion: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
• Tomatoes: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
• Ginger+garlic paste:1/2 teaspoon(optional)
• Garam masala:1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric:1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander/Cilantro leaves: 1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
• Oil: 1teaspoon
• Salt: to taste
  
• For tempering (Optional)
  
• Mustard seeds:1/4teaspoon
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the ingredients for tempering(optional-or skip this step and add the onions to the oil).
2. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the onion,ginger+garlic paste,turmeric,garam masala and salt.
3. Saute till the onions turn a golden brown.Add the chopped tomatoes, and saute till they are thoroughly cooked.
4. Add the chopped bread and mix gently till the masala coats the bread.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve either as such or with a yogurt dip.

Note:

• The tempering is optional-so don't fret if you don't have the ingredients(we always have these in the masala box and I tend to use it since I like the extra Indian flavour it tends to impart)
• I added a cup of mushrooms too to this dish(I love mushrooms so I try and add it where ever possible).
  

Question: What is your favorite Sunday morning breakfast/brunch?

Cumin-Yogurt Dip

Cumin- Yogurt Dip

I had heard so much about Greek Yogurt that I was thrilled when I got a couple of coupons in the mail by Stonyfield Farm for their Organic Greek yogurt called Oikos.
Sadly I could not find all the flavors mentioned,but managed to get the plain and the honey flavoured ones.
I love the taste of freshly roasted and powdered cumin seeds in yogurt(both the savoury and the sweet version),so thought I'd make this simple Cumin-yogurt dip with the plain Greek yogurt.
Ingredients:

• Yogurt: 1/2 cup
• Zeera/cumin seeds: 1-2 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder: a pinch
• Salt/Sugar: to taste

Method:

1. Slowly roast the cumin seeds in a pan until toasted. Cool and pound the seeds with a pestle.
2. Mix it with the yogurt and either salt (for a savory dip) or sugar (for a sweet dip) or add a little of both for a new flavour.
3. Garnish the cumin yogurt dip by sprinkling some chilli powder and some cumin powder on top.

Question: What is your favorite dip?