Category: Recipes

Nutella, Nutella… Everywhere!

Have you heard about Nutella Chocolate? Freaky Question. I Know! Nutella, the hazelnut chocolate spread, is deliciously, awesomely, supertasty, lovely, chocolaty, creamy, fancy, uber, yum, nutty thing. You just need a spoon and there you go. Eat it and keep eating it and spreading it on breads, cookies or cakes or on anything you want. And the fascinating thing, you know 5 February,2014 is celebrated as Nutella Day. Nutella lovers must have beautiful memories with nutella from their childhood to even now, from oozing crepes to breakfast on vacations to free spooning sessions on the couch, nutells has prominent place in almost everyone’s lives. And now, the nutty chocolaty spread is turning 50. So let’s just celebrate its half century and know more about this awesome spread.

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread, which is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in the market in 1964. Made by young confectioner , who had a vision of an affordable luxury made of a small amount of cocoa and lots of hazelnuts, His name was Pietro Ferrero. What’s in Nutella? If count on the ingredients and the nutrition, here’s what goes in Nutella? Well, in numbers if I say, 97 hazelnuts goes in each 750 grams jar. The other ingredients being, sugar, skimmed milk powder, palm oil(non-hydrogenated), low-fat cocoa, whey powder, vanillin, emulsifier. The nutritional information per 100 gram of nutella spread is 544 kcal, sugar 56.7g, fat 31.6g, protein 6g. It is produced on huge scale in 11 factories located in Italy, france, Poland, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, Brazil, Australia. Well, the ingredient hazelnut, is good for health of your heart, making it fairly nutritious food to occasionally include into your healthy eating plan. Nutella is beneficial for you, though you do get very small amount of key nutrients from nutella like saturated fat and sugar. Occasional intake of saturated fat is good for heart in maintaining cholesterol levels and do not harm your health. But you should limit your consumption and have in moderation as excess is always bad.

Gone are the days , you were caught with a a spoon in the nutella jar, now we have some super awesome tips and tricks to put this spread into versatile uses and as an ingredient in various sweet pick ons. Just go through and give variety to your breakfast.

NUTELLA CAKE RECIPE:

Serving: 6-8 Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients: 100 gram nutella

4 eggs

100 gram butter

200 gram castor sugar

200 gram self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

Method: Preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius and grease the baking dish with oil or lina 9 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Well, First In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together with a hand blender or electric blender. Once mixed and blended well, pour the batter into the cake tin making sure that you have got the even amount in it.

Bake it for 20-25 minutes until spongy soft to touch.

You can bake two cakes if you want a two layer cake. Now, take it out of the oven and let it cool down on a rack. When the two cakes are warm, not hot enough, decide which layer of cake is going to be a base and spread it with thick layering of nutella.

Now, Pop the other cake onto the nutella layer and press it firmly, sandiwiching them together. Spread more nutella layer on the top of cake and decorate it with strawberries or cherries or Cadbury shots or gems or use any other creativity of your own.

If you’re a big nutella lover, you will enjoy this recipe all the more. As, this is a rich chocolate cake with a thick nutella topping, this is perfect treat for nutella and chocolate lover. This delicious, mouth watering delicacy can be served with a dollop of vanilla icecream or thick cream and enjoy it.

Also, some more lovely recipes are here to make with nutella;

Spread it on a toast or bread or waffles with peanut butter and nutella on it . Quite a basic recipe but is loved the most.

You can slice the banana lengthwise and put nutella on it. Also, you can slice up apples thinly in circle pieces and put nutella on slices and sandwich them. Even, you can dip strawberries in nutella and eat them. Putting nutella on fruits make them all the more sweeter and gives an exotic taste, enjoyed by all.

Make a nutella shake with milk and blender. You can drink your nutella if you don’t like licking it from spoon and bored from spreading it.

You can frost banana cupcakes or any other cupcakes by nutella and vanilla swirl buttercream. Just looks and tastes yum.

Make a nutella covered bacons and enjoy them.

Put nutella on your icecream cups or cones and enjoy the deliciousness, richness and the iciness.

Nutella goes with anything to everything and makes things sweeter. Just perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth with the hazelnut delicacy. Enjoyit and keep eating till it gets over. Then, bring it more and eat it more and repeat.

Keep licking it. Keep spreading it. Because; Happy Eating is Happy Life.

July 30, 2014
The Tamarind LOVE!
Creeping back to the yonder days, when sneaking into the corner grocery store to buy a packet of Hajmola with the newly earned 1rupee coin, for having done the job of fetching the milk packets and the newspaper from the main gate, was an achievement, I realize how inclined my determination was to get only the ‘Imli’ flavoured Hajmola packet out of the huge jar, usually crowed with all the other flavoured ones! ‘Imli’ or tamarind, I suppose has been a significant ingredient contributing to the growing years for a lot many girls and sometimes boys too. The excitement that overwhelmed my heart at the arrival of a fair, in the locality, only to get to taste the ‘Imli ka Achar’,(Tamarind Pickle) honestly doesn’t leave my heart untouched even to this day. Even the battle to add more tamarind to the mashed potato and spices mixture, during Fuchka debacles, persists and so I think, having been journeyed a span of long twenty years along with this selfless love towards tamarind, has actually done good to me and many, health-wise. So, here’s a few facts about the goodness and multitudinous uses of my beloved, tamarind, waiting for your eyes to behold!

Tamarind, or Tamarindus indica(scientific name) is a very popular herb or fruit of a tall tree known to grow in Asia and North Africa. Having borrowed its English term from the Arabic, it is also known as the ‘Indian date’, as in Hindi, tamar means so. It has proved its prowess in many ways and has led to its effective use in medicinal, culinary, and ornamental uses throughout Asia, Africa and also Latin America. It’s also used as an economic dye in industries, thus establishing its versatility. However, it’s widespread eulogy in the medical field, for the health benefits it commences, is what is worth elaboration.

A tamarind a day keeps a doctor away!?
- Lemon is a source of citric acid, and tamarind here is rich in tartaric acid, that apart from giving a sour taste to the food, also enriches it with super-powerful antioxidants (E334), that help protect the body from harmful free radicals.
- It’s the key to a strong heart, no bile disorders and lower cholesterol.
- Down with sore throat and have a speech or musical the next day? Tamarind is at your rescue. Gargle out all the glitches with a sip of its juice mixed with lukewarm water.
- Anamazing cure for conjunctivitis and dry eye syndrome, is warm tamarind juice, used as eye drops
- It is also a good source of antioxidants that battle against cancer.
- Famed to have reduced fevers, treated bilious disorders, jaundice and catarrh and protected against colds, tamarind pulp in boiling water and little honey is great.
- Tamarind is a spice rich in minerals like copper, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium and magnesium and controls blood pressure, heart rate, and also the production of red blood cells.
The Queen Ingredient!

This delicately sour and sweet ingredient is popular in Indian, Middle Eastern and South-Asian cuisine in particular, but almost the entire world benefits from its goodness.

In India, it is used in curries, chutneys, achars or pickles, rasams, sambar, vatha kuzhambu, fuchkas, and other vegetable and lentil recipes. Its pulp is also used as marinades, as a solidifying agent in confectionaries, and also to flavour ‘hot and sour’ soups. Moreover there’s also a popular tamarind drink, spiced with dates, honey, sugar, cardamom, cloves and coriander seeds. Loved by non-vegetarians this ingredient also goes into non-veg dishes like, Fish or Mutton Pulusu and other fish or meat curries

In China, precisely Yunnan, tamarind serves as an important ingredient in jams, syrups and chilled drinks. Even Egypt is known to cherish iced drinks made out of tamarind.

Mexicans use it in their sauces, candies, and snacks that are dried and salted or simply sweetened. Some popular Mexican delicacies that tamarind makes possible, are Agua fresca, Agua de tamarindo, raspados, Pelon Pelo Rico, Pulparindo, Batilongo and many more.

Also served, rolled into balls of some 5 cm diameter, along with white granulated sugar and a blend of spices sprinkled on it, tamarind is loved this way in various places like, Colombia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Grenada and some other Latin American countries. There, they are known as ‘tambran’ balls.

Gurame and Ikan asam, are the two popular Javanese dishes that make use of tamarind extensively, all throughout the expanse of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Even Maluku, Sulawesi and Manado cuisines love tamarind!

Kenya, especially the Swahili people adorn tamarind to garnish legumes and make juices, while also to flavour rice.

In Thailand, kaeng som, which is a sour curry, is among those many dishes that use tamarind as their central ingredient. And, Vietnam too basks in its goodness by using it in their soups, like Canh chua, and other drinks, candies and sauces.

And therefore, here I come to conclude that my gastronomically romantic relationship with tamarind has indeed been extremely healthy and prosperous, and therefore here’s two of my favourite tamarind recipes, that I discovered, tried and loved!

Tamarind Chicken

Ingredients
- 2 tbsps. Fresh Tamarind paste
- 4 Chicken legs
- 1 tbsp. Galangal (or you can use ginger), cut into thin strips
- 4tbsps. Olive oil
- Dried red chillies 2-3
- 6 cloves of Garlic
- 500 grams Saunf or Fennel see ds
- 6 finely chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt and crushed black peppercorns to taste
Method
1. Assemble ginger or galangal, tamarind paste in a bowl and mix them well.
2. In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the dried red chillies and sauté them until the colour transforms and a smoky fragrance fills the air around.
3. Pop in garlic and fennel seeds and continue sautéing on low flame for approximately 2 minutes. After this step is over, let the mixture cool down, and then grind it to a coarse paste.
4. Mix the paste with the tamarind mixture. Add a tablespoon of olive oil into it and mix. Top it up with some basil and mix again.
5. Now, mix the chicken legs,(that have been halved beforehand) in the above mixture
6. Set it aside to marinate for some 10-15 minutes(longer the better)
7. Heat the grill pan. Use the remaining olive oil, now, to rub on the chicken pieces. Grill for 5 minutes.
8. Garnish and serve with steamed rice, pulao or parathas.
Tamarind chickpeas

Ingredients
- Vegetable or Sunflower oil-1 tbsp
- Chopped tomatoes-400g
- Tamarind paste-1 tbsp
- Chopped onion, medium- 2
- Chickpeas, (drained and rinsed) – 410g
- Nigella seeds (available at supermarkets) or cumin or celery seeds- ½ tsp.
- Fennel seeds -1½ tsp.
- Green chillies, (seeded and cut into quarters lengthways) -3
- Light muscovado sugar or normal sugar- 2-3 tsp.
- Paprika – 1 tsp.
- Turmeric – 1 tsp.
- Fresh coriander (chopped) – 1 tbsp
- half a 250g/9oz bag baby spinach leaves
- natural yogurt and chapattis, to serve
Method
1. In a non-stick pan, heat oil and sauté nigella (cumin or celery) seeds and fennel seeds, for some 10 minutes. Add the onion into it and cook till slightly golden for some 8-10 minutes.
2. Put in the chillies, tomatoes, chickpeas, paprika, turmeric and sugar and bring it to boil,and let it simmer for some 10 minutes. Stir in the tamarind paste and sprinkle with coriander. Add the spinach leaves and continue to stir gently til they’ve wilted.
3. Garnish and serve with yogurt and chapattis.
(Recipe sources-bbcgoodfood.com and Food Food TV Channel)
July 30, 2014
The Lebanese Trail
Since my affection for Lebanese cuisine transformed into an obsession, and I started to empty my pockets at every other Lebanese joint in the city, which though made me popular and loved among their owners, but my savings began to race to the descending point. I was worried, and about to become penniless, but my obsession was experiencing its ascending waves and ridges, that didn’t seem to end. And, so I had this (brilliant) idea of saving myself, all that expense, with only a little bit of research and lots of effort. I started to cook, bake and indulge in the Lebanese delicacies on my own, and here’s the itinerary of my palate-pampering venture!
FALAFEL

A traditional Middle East delight, this dish takes only two hours of dedication, and delivers you with varied options of consumption of its heavenly taste. This can be enjoyed with pocket-mouth pita bread, or wrapped around with lafa, which is a flatbread. Top it up with some fresh salad, spicy hot sauce, pickled vegetables, or the traditional drizzle of tahini-based sauces would do the magic!

INGREDIENTS
- Dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans – 1 cup
- Chopped onion(large) – 1
- Chopped garlic – 2 cloves
- Chopped fresh parsley – 3 tablespoons
- Coriander – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin – 1 teaspoon
- Essentials according to taste – Salt, oil and pepper.
METHOD
- This step isn’t really required if you’re using canned beans. But otherwise, place the dried beans in a bowl and fill the bowl up with cold water. Allow them to soak overnight.
- Next morning, drain the chickpeas and pour them into a pan of fresh water and bring to boil.
- Let it boil for some 5 minutes and then allow to simmer on low flame, for about an hour. Then, drain and cool for 15minutes
- Assemble chickpeas, onion, coriander, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and add flour to it.
- Mash the chickpeas along with all the other ingredients (this can be done in a food processor) to make a thick paste out of it.
- Make small balls out of the mixture, and slightly flatten them.
- Deep fry until golden brown.
- Serve hot, with humus, tahini or pita bread and salad!
TARATOR SAUCE

My personal favourite! This heavenly sauce goes with almost everything edible under the sun. Try it with veggies, seafood, beef, chicken, or lamb, and discover the extra edge.

INGREDIENTS
- Sesame seeds (for Tahini paste) – 2 cups
- Olive oil- 4 tablespoons
- Lemon juice – ¾ cup
- Water- 2 tablespoons
- Crushed garlic- 2 cloves
- Salt- ½ teaspoon
- Finely chopped parsley – ½ teaspoon
- A dash of cumin
METHOD
- To make the Tahini paste, roast the sesame seeds gently over low heat while stirring continuously for about 10 minutes. The colour is not needed to change, so when done, remove flame and keep it aside to cool.
- Add the roasted sesame seeds to a food processor bowl along with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and make a thick paste out of it. Add more oil if needed. Your tahini paste is ready, so let it cool and then refrigerate.
- Again, in a food processor, assemble tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and cumin together and mix well. Keep adding water while mixing, but maintain its thickness.
- Remove from the processor into a bowl and stir in parsley. Refrigerate it in jars and indulge!
LAMB AND KISHK KIBBEH

INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil( to deep fry)
- Greek-style yoghurt
- Tarator sauce for garnishing
Kibbeh shell
- Fine Burghul( cracked wheat) – 300g
- Hot water – 675ml
- Sabaht baharat (Lebanese seven spice: a combination of ¼ tsp. cloves, ¼ tsp. cardamom,2 tsps. cumin, ½ tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. coriander, ½ tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. pepper with 2 tsps. smoked paprika. Ready-made is available in stores)
- Lamb leg(all sinew removed and cut into small pieces)- 360g
- Salt and black pepper
Kibbeh farce
- Olive oil- 1 tablespoon
- Finely chopped garlic- 1 clove
- Finely chopped small brown onion- ½
- Finely chopped silverbeet leaves and stems- 2
- Cooked and mashed chickpeas- ½ cup
- Sabaht baharat- 1 tablespoon
- Peeled and chopped tomatoes- 2-3 cups
- Dried mint- 3teaspoon
- Kishk powder – 50g
- Labna- 30g
- Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
- For the kibbeh shell, soak the burghul in hot water until they turn soft. Drain the excess water after it’s done.
- Combine the softened burghul, sabaht baharat and lamb in a bowl, and season it with salt and pepper. Mix and then mince the mixture along with the meat.
- In a food processer then process the entire mixture until a thick and sticky consistency is formed. Cover and refrigerate.
- For the kishk farce, in a frying pan, add oil and garlic and sauté for 1- 2 minutes on medium flame, until its fragrance fills the air. Toss in the onion and silverbeet stems and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion softens.
- Add the silverbeet leaves, chickpeas, sabaht baharat and sprinkle a pinch of salt and let it cook until the leaves are wilted.
- Add the tomatoes and dried mint into it and cook for a minute, just to soften. Remove it from the flame and add the kishk powder and labna and mix. Transfer in a bowl and refrigerate.
- To assemble, take an egg sixe amount of kibbeh shell mixture and shape it into a ball. Poke a hole in it, using the thumb and keep digging deeper to make space for the filling. Stuff a tablespoon of kishk farce in it and seal the ball. Repeat it with the others. Once done, refrigerate them for half an hour to set and firm up
- Then, deep fry the kibbeh in a saucepan for 4-5 minutes until dark golden. Drain on a tissue to get rid of the every oil.
- Serve hot with the heavenly tarator sauce, or yogurt and salad.
LAMB SHAWARMA

INGREDIENTS
- Plain yogurt- 2 cups
- Distilled white vinegar – ¼ cup
- Olive oil – ¼ cup
- Lemon juice – 3 tablespoons
- Garlic, minced – 3 cloves
- Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ½ teaspoon
- Dried oregano – ½ teaspoon
- Bay leaves- 2
- Boneless lamb legs(cut into strips) – 3 ½ pounds
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Pita bread rounds (8-inch) – 8 pieces
- Tomatoes (thinly sliced) – 2
- Onion( thinly sliced) – 2
- Fresh mint or coriander leaves – ½ bunch
METHOD
- Whisk in yogurt, vinegar, ¼ cup of olive oil, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, oregano and bay leaves, in a bowl, and then pour the mixture into a re-sealable plastic bag.
- Put the thinly sliced meat into the bag to coat them with the marinade and seal the bag while squeezing out the excess air. Marinate the lamb, in a refrigerator, overnight.
- Next day, in a heated non-stick pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pour in the lamb and marinade. Cook until the lamb has lost its pinkish hue and is tender (for about 15-20 minutes).
- Continue stirring while the meat cooks. Once done, divide the cooked lamb among the warmed pita breads, and garnish with tomatoes, onions, fresh mint or coriander leaves. Serve with Tarator sauce at the side (you can also sauté the onions and tomatoes, for a spicier texture, but I like them fresh because it’s healthier that way!)
Tada!
July 30, 2014
Mad Over Donuts!!

A lovely box of donuts can brighten a day, is what is the mantra of the new upcoming stores like m.o.d ( mad over donuts) and dunkin donuts, which are known to have made a special place in the food industry recently in this decade.

Doughnuts or more precisely now called as donuts, could be categorized either into a dessert food or a fried confectionery. This deep- fried lip smacking snack is typically either a ring shape, which may have a hole or might be filled. donuts may be topped or flavored with a huge variety of flavors like chocolate, maple glazing, cinnamon or granulated sugar.

The donuts are known to have their origin in 19th century by dutch people in the North America, which at that time were referred to as oliekoek, which means ” a sweetened cake fried in oil” or “oil cake”. The ring shaped doughnut is known to have its history traced back to 1847, where an American named Hanson Gregory invented the ring-shaped doughnut when he was actually only 16 years old.

Today, the donuts might be shaped into a different kind which might include rings, balls or flattened spheres, which might either be twisted or given some other form. But the two most common types of donuts which are popular are- the toroidal ring donut and the filled or filler donut, which have fillings like fruits, creams and custards to give them a sugary sweet effect.

The donuts are actually prepared from the yeast based dough, which contains a good amount of oil which are fried for a good amount of time at a temperature of near about 374 to 388 F. After this frying process is over, topping is done with either granulated sugar, cinnamon, maple glazing or sometimes might have some sprinkled coconut, chopped peanuts or jimmies on them, in order to enhance the taste.

In India, the wonderful savory vada , is often referred to as the Indian doughnut which is a fried, ring shaped snack often taken with curd, known as the dahi-vada or can be taken along with the sambhar and coconut chutney. This vada is prepared from dal or potato flour and not from the wheat flour.

In Indonesia, donut kentang is a ring-shaped fritter which is made up of mashed potato and flour, which is then coated with the icing sugar.

In Israel, jelly donuts which are known as sufganiyah is the traditional food which is cooked in oil, filled with jelly and topped with icing sugar. In Australia, the hot jam donuts which are popular and unique in the Australian culture, these are served with hot red jam which may be either strawberry or raspberry is injected or filled into the deep fried bun and is then frosted with either sugar or cinnamon, sometimes these jam donuts are also frozen. Another variant of this donut, comes filled with custard.

Some interesting facts about donuts-

1. Donut king is the largest donut retailer in Australia.

2. A Guinness Book Of Records has the record with the largest number of donuts made up for 90,000 people in Sydney in the year 2007 as a part of celebration for the movie, The Simpsons Movie.

3. Canadians consume the highest number of donut, with also the highest number of donut stores per capita in the country.

4. National Doughnut Day is celebrated to commemorate the history of donuts and their popularity in different cultures. dedicated to this is a race held in Stanton, Illinois which features donuts and is called Tour de Donut.

Recipe For crispy and creamy donut-

1. 0.25 ounce dried yeast

2. 1/4 cup warm water

3. 2 eggs

4. 1 tsp salt

5. 1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk

6. 1/2 cup white sugar

7. 5 cup all purpose flour

8. 1/3 cup butter

9. 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

10. 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

11. 1/3 cup shortening

12. 2 cups confectioners sugar

sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let it stand until it turns foamy. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups of flour. Stir the mixture and beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour at a time, until no more dough sticks to the bowl. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Place this dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Set it into a warm place, until it gets double.

Turn the dough on a surface covered with flour, and roll out a dough of 1/2 inch, cut the flour with doughnut cutter. Let the doughnut rise to double, and cover it loosely with cloth. Melt butter in a pan, stir in the confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove the mixture from heat, stir in 1 tbsp water. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 F, slide in the donuts in the hot oil. Turn the donuts over the other side and fry them till they turn golden brown on both the surfaces. Remove from the oil, and drain from the hot oil. Dip the donuts in the glaze, while they are still hot and drain of the excess glaze.

July 30, 2014
Tasty, Tangy Tamarind!!

Tamarind or scientifically better known by the name Tamarindus indica is an edible fruit, enclosed in a pod which is extensively used round the world in a large number of cuisines.

The reddish brown, curved seed pods of a lovely tree hold the several large seeds encased by moist, sticky, dark brown flesh that might range from a sweet to sour taste. Inside, the pod of the tamarind is a soft, brown coated pulp with large, black seeds. It is this pulp of tamarind, which has a high nutritional content. The pulp of the tamarind, is sour when young but as matures it sweetens in taste.

This fruit has a long history as a part of human cultivation, and thus is known by the various names which are unique in the terms that the name is different in various regions of the country. In Hindi, it is known as imli; in Rajasthani it is known as aamli. In Gujarati, it is known by the name amli; in Kannada it is called as hunase; Telugu chintachettu. In Ghana, it is known by the name of dawadawa, in Zambia it is called as viwawasha .

Tamarind is a bushy tree, that grows in wild and is indigenous to tropical Africa. It is found in Africa, Cameroon, Oman and Taiwan. But, today India is the largest producer of tamarind, with a number of Indian cuisines having a tinge of tamarind. The taste of the tamarind is best described as a fruit with sweet and sour taste, with sugar, tartaric acids, vitamin B and calcium.

Tamarind has a wide range of use in a variety of cuisines, with the tamarind extract used to flavor a variety of snacks and meals. It is also used in a large number of desserts, juices and sweetened drinks, ice-creams and snacks. Tamarind is also used as a pickle or as a side dish, a multitude of chutneys and other regional cuisines.

In China, tamarind is used for making of jam and chilled drinks. In Mexico, tamarind is used in candies, sauces and various sweet and salted snacks. It is also eaten raw with addition of salt and spices. In Asia, grated green tamarinds are mixed with salt and hot pepper and eaten as salads.

In Egypt, a sour and chilled drink is prepared from tamarind, which is known to improve the nutrition. In Somalia, tamarind extract is added to rice to give it a sour taste. In Vietnam, tamarind is eaten fresh or eaten as a processed sweet, sour or spicy candy and is also used in the sour soup, called canh chua.

Here a few tamarind savory recipes, which would for sure make you have a watery mouth-

1. Tamarind Chutney-

The tamarind chutney can be used as a dip, topping over the chaats or can even be accompanied with a bread spread.

A. 200 gm tamarind

B. 100 gm jaggery

C. 1 tsp garam masala

D. 1 tsp roasted cumin powder

E. 1/2 tsp black salt

F. 1 tsp dried ginger powder

G. 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder

Add 2 cups water to tamarind, and bring it to boil for 10 minutes. strain it then with the soup strainer. Now add jaggery, red chili powder, black salt, garam masala, dried ginger powder and roasted cumin powder to it. Bring it back to flame for 10 minutes again, until the jaggery melts completely.

Make the chutney a little thin, because it thickens on cooling.

2. Tamarind Lollipop-

This recipe can be loved by children, as it is a bit salty, hot and sour. But it is best when served chilled.

A. 1/2 cup tamarind pulp

B. salt to taste

C. 1 tbsp cumin seeds

D. 1 tsp chili powder

Take tamarind in a cup, mix chili powder, salt and cumin seeds. Make it like a soft mixture and roll it into small balls. Now, insert toothpicks into it. The tamarind lollipops are ready.

Tastes best when it is served chilled.

3. Trini Tamarind Wings-

For the tamarind sauce

A. 2 cups tamarind pulp

B. 1 cup water

C. 1 cup sugar

D. 3 tbsp salt

E. 3 tbsp pureed garlic

F. 1 tsp ground cumin

G. 1 1/2 tsp garam masala

H. Red pepper flakes

I. 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

For Lava Sauce

J. 2 tbsp paprika

K. 1 clove garlic

L. 1/4 cup olive oil

M. 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Wings Marinade

N. 4 pounds chicken wings

O. 1/2 cupped chopped scallions

P. 1/2 cup vinegar

Q. 1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves

R. vegetable oil for frying

For the marinade: puree all the ingredients, except the chicken wings in a food processor. Now add to the chicken wings and marinate for 24 hours.

For the tamarind sauce: mix all the ingredients into a medium thick sauce and refrigerate for a day for all the flavors to meld.

For the lava sauce: In a small pot, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic until golden, remove and cool. Add other ingredients, combine completely and refrigerate.

Pre-heat the oil to 350 F, and add the chicken wings to the oil and deep fry for 15 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oil and drain. Transfer the wings to the hot douse with the trini tamarind sauce. Saute the wings for a minute in the sauce, remove and serve with the lava sauce and the veggies of your choice at the side.

Enjoy this extra punch of goodness.

July 30, 2014
Enjoy this monsoon with hot and crispy Pakoras
Monsoon is here to make the whole environment vivacious with its drizzling effect and make it lively. Monsoon comes with different flavors and have lots of fun embodied in it. For example for children it is the time to sail their handmade boats, for farmers it is like a blessing and some people enjoy the tiny droplets falling over the ground. So different people enjoy this season in their own different ways but common part amongst all of them is that their fun is always accompanied by eating crispy pakoras. Monsoon is said to be complete when you have enjoyed the rain with hot and crispy pakoras along with the tea or coffee. The best thing about pakoras is that they are easily prepared and taste delicious when served with chutney or sauce. It is known fact that pakoras are the main reason behind the rise of cholesterol in the body but eating it once during the whole season did not affect anyone’s health. They are quite easy to be prepared so avoid eating pakoras at road side stalls and start the intake of home-made healthy pakoras.

In southern parts of India, pakoras are known with the name Bajji. This hot, crispy dish is famous in Pakistan too. But it is not treated as a separate snack rather it is served with curry and this dish is known as Pakora curry. It is also an important part of Afghani Cuisine. In China people used to refer it by the name Pakoda.

Pakoras come with its different flavors. There are various ways of making pakoras like onion pakora, paneer pakora, cabbage pakora, egg pakora etc. But here tastes and its nutritional value is the most concerning factors. So here are the few recipes that you can enjoy while sitting along the windows served with hot tea.

Onion pakora:

During monsoon season your tongue definitely demands something crunchy, something spicy and something hot and then suddenly onion pakoras rings a bell and the aroma of these onion pakoras are felt. It is very popular and common snack preferred during this season. It has a quite simple recipe and ingredients required are easily available in everyone’s kitchen. Ingredients required are:
- 1/2 cup Besan
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 large Onion
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
Initially take sliced onion and put turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt to it. After mixing all the ingredients add besan to it and at the same time pour water to it so that sliced onion is properly coated with the besan. Take oil in a frying pan and allow it to be heated for some time. After this slowly add the prepared batter into it and allow the pakoras to be fried. The excess oil must be absorbed with the help of paper. Now onion pakoras are ready to be served with hot chutney or sauce.

Paneer Pakora:

Paneer pakora is another famous recipe for paneer loving people. Ingredients required are same as onion pakoras but instead of onion you need to have cubes of paneer and chat masala. Its recipe is again quite simple. Add cubes of paneer to the prepared batter of besan, red chilly powder, ginger paste and salt. Now let the paneer cubes marinate for half an hour. Now slowly fry this batter in the hot frying pan containing oil. After taking out absorb the excess oil and sprinkle the chat masala over it. Now the paneer pakoras are ready to be served.

Bread Pakora:

Evening snacks during the monsoon season with the hot cup of tea is one the best thing your tongue demands..! It is a popular street food in the northern parts of India. Ingredients required are:
- 2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp chat masala
- Salt
- Slices of whole grain bread
- 1 cup besan
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2-1 tsp chili powder
Boil the potatoes and mash them properly. In a bowl, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds and after they popped, add ginger, chillies, urad dal and onions to it. Now add salt and all the spices according to your taste and then add mashed potatoes to it. If it is the season of peas, then you can add peas also. Now take the slice of bread and spread the mixture prepared over it. Now cover this with another slice of bread and cut it into two pieces. Now prepare the batter with the besan, turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder. Dip the slice of bread into it and make sure it must be coated properly. Fry this coated slice in a pan containing oil till it turned reddish brown. Remove the excess oil from it and now it is ready to be served with chilly sauce or chutney.

Experiment with all the above discussed recipes and enjoy this monsoon with the different flavors of hot and crispy pakoras..!
July 30, 2014
Nature’s candy-date palm
They grow in hot places like deserts and are among the freshest dry fruits. During their growth, these fruits tend to produce a lot of sugar, which crystallizes in the hot sun. This crystallized sugar slowly soaks the outer skin of the dates thus making them soft and chewy to eat. It is the presence of this sugar which makes them so sweet earning them the name of nature’s candy.

Date palms often occur in yellow, red or reddish brown, often occurring in the latter of the three colors.

Dates a nutricious fruit

They are believed to have been the staple diet of the Babylonians where they are found in abundance. They first became popular in areas in and around Egypt, Babylonia, and Mesopotamia and along the banks of the Nile and the Euphrates River. But, thanks to trade and transport, it soon spread to other countries and they are now found in almost all warm countries. These contain seeds but they are usually deseeded during mass production and marketing. Though they are sticky, they are quite irresistible and they are a factory for a whole lot of delicious recipes.

Desi date sauce

This is one lip-smacking recipe that is simply irresistible and would leave one craving for more. Indians have always found pride in their food and their recipes, many of which have become popular even in foreign countries. The combination of the sweet taste of the dates and the spices added simply multiply the zing in this recipe.

All one needs is a bottle of vinegar, olive oil, fresh, chopped chili pepper and the required Indian spices. The vinegar is used to improve the taste, giving it the required quantity of “tanginess”. The pepper gives it the spicy taste and it is this combination of the sweet dates and the spice which makes it a perfect accompaniment for snacks like French fries or anything that is fried. The procedure is very simple.

All one has to do is to put all the ingredients in a big vessel and is simmered under a medium flame for about 10-15 minutes. The required amount of salt is added to it and water is added to prevent it from getting too thick and solid. Then the entire simmered content is allowed to cool to room temperature. After this, it is transferred to a blender bowl and is blended till a smooth texture is obtained.

The yummy date jam

Yet another delicious recipe that can be made using dates is the date jam. This can be used like any other jam, almost on anything that one wishes. Be it toast, plain bread, buns, Indian bread, cakes and the list goes on!

Though preparation is slightly complex than the previous recipe, the end result is truly sumptuous. The main ingredients required for this one are sugar, ground cinnamon, non-flavored butter, peel and juice of lemon to give it a slightly sour taste and chopped or diced date pieces. Additional flavoring may be added like the essence of vanilla, orange or apple simply to give the jam its fruity taste and its irresistible fragrance. The date pieces and water is allowed to simmer under medium flame and is slowly brought to boil. Stirring of the contents is to be done throughout the process. Slowly, all the other ingredients are added to this mixture, while simultaneously stirring.

Stirring prevents the contents from getting solidified and thick at the beginning itself. Gradually, the mixture becomes smooth and thick. It is at this time that it is taken off the stove and is then allowed to cool to room temperature. It is then carefully stored in sterilized containers to prevent attack by moisture and maybe be used cold.

A dessert from the desert

True to the title, this recipe is perfect to end a truly delicious meal. This dessert is a liquid, making it a different and a tasty finisher. It is very simple to make and does not have a standard set of ingredients as it depends on an individual’s taste. However, the following ingredients are usually used for a perfect milkshake. 2 ripe bananas, the required quantity of fresh milk, chopped or diced dates, sugar, if required (even honey can be used a substitute), vanilla essence, nuts, if required. All the items, excluding the nuts are put into a blender and are mixed till a smooth liquid free of date chunks is obtained. It is best when served cold.

Date sandwich for the lazy

For those who simply hate having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, this recipe is the one. In addition to being extremely simple to make, it is healthy and makes a great snack or lunch. Because of its taste, lunch time will never be the same again. The items required are very less and are easily available. These include rich, cream cheese, preferably non-flavored, honey, finely chopped deseeded dates and required slices of raisin bread (or normal bread would also suffice).

The date pieces can also be grounded using a blender and gently sprinkled on top of a thick layer of cheese and honey. It may be topped with any desired layer of toppings.

Benefits of dates
- Dates have been found to be very healthy and are packed with nutrients. They help in proper building of the body’s metabolism and in improving the immune system.
- Due to the presence of sugars, they are an excellent food to break a fast and are thus usually eaten during the Ramadan months. The sugars present in them immediately and easily mix with the blood thus replenishing the body’s lost glucose and electrolyte levels.
- Dates have been found to be rich in potassium, which help in maintaining the heart, by controlling the heart rate and the blood pressure thus reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- They are also rich in calcium which is vital for the proper growth of bones and general body development.
July 30, 2014
Go on and try some Bread based meal
Bread is one of the oldest foods which people use in their daily life. It is available all around the world anywhere and anytime. It is the simplest and the easiest option available to the people whenever they are hungry and are not in a mood to do any type of effort. It is a type of staple food which is prepared by mixing water and flour together. The dough we obtained is then baked and given its ordinary shape. Since from the emergence of agriculture, it has found its existence and till now it has come up wide varieties which are differentiated on the basis of shape, size and color. Bread is sometimes taken as the most popular snack item and sometimes it is used as ingredients in our dishes. It is hard to believe the fact that bread has found its existence in religious rituals too in Europe and East Asia.

Bread is a rich source of carbohydrate and at the same time it consists of various other nutrients such as iron, magnesium, Vitamin B and fiber. Regular intake of bread will tends to increase the overall intake of grains in our body. So to maintain the regular amount of grain and carbohydrate in our body we must take the bread or dishes involving bread into our meal. To defeat the hunger, bread dishes are the best way as they are very easy in their preparation and at the same time it fulfills all the demands of our stomach. . Bread can also be used as an ingredient in various other preparations like bread crumbs are used to provide crunchy and crispy crusts. Some common bread recipes which are popular all over the world are:

Bread Patties:

It is a very famous snack which was originated and firstly prepared in Maharashtra. It is perfect when eaten in rainy season along with the cup of tea.

Ingredients:
- Chickpea and rice flour
- Red chili powder
- Baking Soda
- Carom Seeds
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Potato and green chillies
- Ginger paste and chat masala
Preparation:
- Heat oil along with mustard seeds, pinch of hing, ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Add green chilies which are chopped, turmeric powder and salt together.
- Add chat masala to the boiled potatoes.
- Take a bowl and add besan, rice flour, red chili powder, carom seeds, salt and any other spices if needed.
- Mix and add some amount of water and prepare a batter.
- Cut bread into a shape required. Spread the prepared potato filling on the slices evenly.
- Dip potato filled slices into batter and fry till it gets golden color.
The patties are ready to be served with tamarind chutney or mint chutney.

Bread Roll:

A Bread roll is hot and crispy in nature and is very popular in the northern parts of India.
- Large Potatoes and Green Chillies
- Pinch of hing and garlic paste
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Lemon juice and oil
- Coriander Leaves
- Bread slices
Method:
- Initially blend green chilies and garlic together and make a paste.
- Grind to make that into a coarse paste.
- Heat oil and add hing along with the paste prepared above.
- Also add turmeric powder to it.
- After this heat is turned off and the mixture is mixed with the mashed potatoes.
- Add potatoes with salt and lemon juice and mix it well.
- Then take the slices of bread and trim its edges.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Now take that potato mixture and roll it out into a desired shape.
- Stuff that roll in bread slices.
- Fry till it gets golden color and then absorb all the excess oil from it.
- Bread roll is ready to be served..!
Bread Cutlet:

Bread cutlet is a very appetizing and tasty dish liked by all the children. It is usually prepared on several occasions like parties, picnics and sometime eaten as an evening snack too. They are crispy and crunchy in nature.

Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Green chili
- Ginger piece
- Red chili powder
- Garam masala
- Mustard seed
- Oil and Salt
- Slices of bread
Method:
- Heat oil and add mustard seed and curry leaves. After 10 minutes, add mashed potatoes along with green chilies, ginger, red chili powder, garam masala and salt.
- Now make small round balls from that mixture.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Cover the balls with the slices of bread and evenly spread the mixture.
- Now heat the oil and let the cutlet to be fried in it till it gets golden in color.
- Take them out and sprinkle out the chat masala over it.
- Serve the cutlet with green chutney.
So if your mouth is craving for something chatpata.. And you are only left with bread, then go on and try these simple recipes to prepare a bread based meal.
July 30, 2014
Aloo Paratha Recipe

Generally Parathas are treated as Indian breads.These Indian breads are roasted on a skillet with oil.This delicious dish is conceived previously in Punjab,later it spread to all the parts of the country and also South Asia.There are different types of Parathas.Parathas may be plain, stuffed with vegetables like potatoes, cauliflowers, peas, paneer and few are stuffed with non vegetarian like ground meat, eggs and many more.Parathas are available at any of the Indian restaurant and Dhaba’s are famous places to enjoy these Paratha recipes.In India we can find few frozen and precooked parathas in supermarkets.Most of the veggies choose to eat parathas as a meal in any part of the day.Paratha can be eaten simply with a spoon of ghee, butter.But it tastes best with pickle, thick curd, chutneys, any curry or gravies.

Spicy Aloo Paratha served with curd and pickles with butter topping

In North India most of the people like to have flat breads stuffed with spiced potatoes generally known as Aloo paratha.For the preparation of this dish patience is required.Aloo paratha is a famous dish that is so delicious and tasty.The name itself specifies that Aloo means potato.It is very easy to make it and can be served as breakfast or a snack item.The preparation of Aloo paratha is as follows.

Ingredients:

For Dough preparation:

1) Take a cup of golden temple flour

2) Take half the cup of water

3) Take half teaspoon of salt

4) Take two to three teaspoon of oil

Dough Preparation Ingredients

For Aloo stuffing:

1) Take two medium potatoes

2) Take half the teaspoon of salt

3) Take half teaspoon of garam masala

4) Take half teaspoon of cumin seeds

5) Take one fourth teaspoon of turmeric

6)Take one fourth teaspoon of red chili flakes

7)Take five sprigs of cilantro, chopped

Aloo stuffing ingredients

Preparation:

To enhance better taste, the first thing we need to consider is take right kind of flour.That kind of flour is also known as duram atta.This flour is a combination of stone ground wheat and regular flour.It is perfect for making roti’s, chapathi’s and paratha’s.Here in the below preparation process we are going to take golden temple flour.As we are having the flour we are half set.The first and the important part in the preparation of aloo paratha is dough.

Dough preparation:

Take a bowl and rinse it completely.Then clean it by using a dry cloth.Now take all the ingredients: add a cup of golden temple flour, add half the cup of water, add half teaspoon of salt, add two to three teaspoon of oil.Mix them thoroughly until it forms a soft, elastic dough.The mixture should not be sticky, but it must be smooth.To form smooth paste it must be stirred cotinuously.After the dough is prepared break it up into equal pieces and roll them to form balls.Now set them in a small bowl containing oil and cover it by using some oiled plastic wrap.Let the dough balls last for few some time.As we are making Aloo paratha we need to make potato mixture now.

Dough preparation for aloo paratha

Aloo stuffing preparation:

For the preparation of this recipe and to have delicious taste, we need to take fresh and unspoiled potatoes.Take small round potatoes and boil them for few minutes.Now peel off the covering of potatoes and chop them into small pieces.Boiling process must be done until the fork tender into potatoes.Now use a mill to mash potatoes.After mashing them, add all the ingredients and mix well.Make sure to have same amount of potatoes as that of dough balls.

Aloo stuffing in paratha preparation

Now our original preparation of parathas starts.Before making paratha rolls first heat the pan at low flame and keep the work space ready.Take a non stick pan with a wide, flat bottom and low sides as it is easy to cook and also heats up very quickly.Along with pan ready we also need to take a bowl full of flour, a cutting board or other flat surface for rolling out the dough and a small rolling pin called a Belan.

Aloo Paratha preparation:

1) Take one teaspoon of oil on a non stick pan and heat it on a medium flame.

2) Now take the dough and dip in a flour bowl until flour is attached to it on all sides.

3) After applying flour on all sides flatten it in the form of a disc.

4) Now roll it on a flat surface using a Belan to form long flat discs.

5) Take the potato stuffing that is prepared earlier and place it on the middle of flat dough.Now roll the dough a little, so that it is large enough to cover the potato ball.After that wrap a potato ball with the dough, gathering the edges together.

6) Press the edges inn to get sealed and again make it flat in the form of a disc.

7) Again dip the new flat thing in the flour bowl, so that it is attached with flour on all of its sides.

8) Take this on a flat surface and roll out the disc evenly into a circle upto a size of six inches in diameter.Make sure the dough must be as thin as possible so that we can see the spices through it.

9) Now place the stuffed dough disks on a non stick pan and heat it on medium flame.You will notice a color change to yellow.Once the paratha is cooked on one side toast it on other side.That’s it spicy tasty vegetarian paratha is ready.

Aloo paratha is ready to serve

July 30, 2014
Savoury indulgence on Eid
Celebration of Id, without haleem on the menu is preposterous! And, this realization dawned upon me, after my acquaintance with a Muslim friend led to the arrival of an invitation for ‘Id ki daawat’ at their place. With no prior information or preparation I felt elated and made my way to their set destination. Having been alien to Islamic customs, however, did not dwindle my enthusiasm rather infuriated it, and after my arrival, when it was time to eat, I was shocked at the array of delicacies laid down on the huge wooden table. All, I had known to expect was many types of kebabs, shorbas, biryani, kormas and basbousas. The table, had taken a plethoric dimension.

My friend however, well aware of my palate-fantasies and curiosities, volunteered to introduce me with all of the savoury dishes, laid down there. What intrigued me the most, was their holy dish, Haleem, which was particularly consumed on this day. After further enquiry, with periodical interventions by the elders of the family to add minute details to the conversation, I comprehended that Haleem is a popular stew made out of wheat, barley, meat( which is usually beef, mutton, but also sometimes chicken) lentils and spices. It is slow cooked for almost seven to eight hours in order to unleash its divine taste and qualities, till, it reaches a paste-like thick aromatic consistency.

Its origin, however, is said to be lying in an Arabian dish called Harisah, which is an ancient delicacy, dating back to some 10^th century or so, interwoven around an interesting history that I seemed to enjoy listening to, while gulping an extra helping of haleem and kebabs.

So, according to the oldest member of the family, Dada-jaan, the recipe for Harisah was first put down in a book called Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of recipes) by Abu Muhammad al-Muzaffar ibn Sayyar which is said to be one of world’s oldest surviving Arabic cookbooks, and that this recipe has many similarities with what, in these contemporary times, Middle East boasts as Haleem. It was said that Harisah, the ancestor of haleem was actually invented by the soldiers of the Hyderabad Nizam’s army, to cater to their gastronomic needs. Something similar to the traditional Harisah is said to be still available in a place called Barkas, Hyderabad, however under the name of Haris.Had never anticipated that a food item, would ever have such an illustrious past. The acquired knowledge aggravated my curiosity, and I vouched to myself, that given the opportunity, I would surely venture to try out the ancient dish Harisah. However, that was still just too distant for me then, and so I chose to retort back to unearthing the secret recipe that Dadee-jaan would mostly boast of. Was it my charm, or vexing curiosity that hung around me, I luckily managed to string it out .But after learning its elaborate preparation, I became sceptical of my capabilities and courage to endanger the cooking gas to prepare this dish, which involved seven to eight hours on the flame. Nevertheless, if you are beyond such scepticism and are willing to dedicate your time, energy and resources for this divine delicacy, here’s a little help I could manage.

Haleem Recipe

INGREDIENTS
- Mutton or Beef- 1 ½ kilograms
- Wheat grains (crushed and soaked for 1 ½ hour) – ½ kilograms
- Onions (thinly sliced) – 4 large
- Gram Lentils (soaked and boiled)- 1 cup
- Garam masala powder- 1 tsp.
- Turmeric powder- 1 tsp.
- Coriander powder – 1 ½ tbsp.
- Red Chilli powder – 2 tbsp.
- Garlic paste – 1 tbsp.
- Ginger paste – 1tbsp.
- Dalda Banaspati or any clarified butter (ghee) – 1 ½ cup
- A pinch of soda
- Salt to taste
For Seasoning
- Fresh Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 1 bunch
- Fresh Mint leaves (finely chopped) – 1 bunch
- Sliced Onion (large)- 1
- Ginger root (medium) – 2 pieces
- Lemons (cut in quarters) – 4
- Dalda Banaspati or clarified butter (ghee) – 2 cups
- Green chillies (seeded and finely chopped) – to taste
- Garam masala powder – 1 tsp.
- Cumin seeds (roasted and ground) – 1 tsp.
METHOD
- In a pan, heat Banaspati or the clarified butter, and add the meat, garlic, garam masala powder, turmeric ,red chilli powder, , coriander powder and salt. Carefully, smear the meat in these spices and let it cook for some time on medium flame.
- Take another separate pan, and fill it up with water. Boil the wheat grains in it with a pinch of salt. Keep a check over it, and once the water starts to bubble and the grains become tender and squashy, add a pinch of soda in it and cook for some 15-12 minutes more.
- As the water gets soaked, drain the excess and, mix the grains with the mead. Keep stirring till all of it is mixed properly.
- In a food processor, grind the lentils, and by adding a few cups of water, bring it to paste-like consistency.
- Pour in the lentil paste into the meat and wheat grain mixture, and stir continuously. Position the pan, on a griddle or heavy tava, on low flame and cook some 30 to 40 minutes.
- Sauté the sliced onions in ghee or clarified butter, and drain the excess oil, with the help of a tissue paper. Once the haleem is cooked, spread the fried onions over it, and sprinkle the garam masala powder, fresh mint and coriander leaves. Garnish it with cumin and ginger. While serving it, sprinkle some more seasoning!
Though I haven’t yet tried making it properly due to certain limitations, I have still been engaged with the consumption of Haleem from time to time, and also had the opportunity to witness an actual haleem competition. On the day of Id, this week, I’m planning to once again indulge in its rich and luscious taste, expecting some more company this time!
July 27, 2014