TGIF

This picture was taken a few months ago at TGIF - a platter of barbeque ribs & fries. You can see me salivating, can't you?

Fried Plantain

Fried Plantain was one of the many items on our July 4th smorgasboard.

Method: Cut the raw plantain diagonally. Coat in slightly salted rice flour and shallow fry in vegetable oil. Remove when the plantain turns golden. Sprinkle chilli power and serve hot.

As always, we had fun and lots of food. Happy 4th of July to everyone.

Happy Meal

BBQ Chicken

Jalepeno corn bread. (The regular corn bread mix with finely chopped jalapenos added to it)

Stir fry green beans.

Cucumber slices

A Happy Meal on a Happy Sunday, not so long ago.

Thali

A delicious-home cooked meal; there are somethings that money can't buy.

Risotto

If ever there was a pretty picture, it was this. That's G junior and friends enjoying plates of fine risotto in Venice. Risotto is the Italian answer to pulao. While it may not be as popular as the conventional pasta and pizza, I believe it's just as delicious. It's traditionally made with short-grained rounded rice.

I just had to look up the Internet and see if Rachel Ray had any easy recipes and found one that seems simple enough:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt

Method:
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. 2. Add the rice and cook, stirring continuously for a few minutes, until the grains are glistening. Increase the heat to high and add the broth and 1 cup of boiling water. Bring the rice to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is al dente, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the lemon zest and Parmesan and season with salt.

This is definatelty on my "Must Try" list.

Happy Diwali

What's on my plate this Diwali ? Kaju barfi, jalebi, gulab jamun, chikki and badams; all store-brought; such a far cry from the home-made sweets of India. I never thought I'd say this but I actually miss cutting nuts and making laddus with Mom. Even the store bought mithai isn't as good as the ones back home, they seem to lack a certain richness. I did make one mithai though. It isn't ready as yet, wonder how it's going to turn out. Anyway, Happy Diwali to everyone.

Simple Pasta

I’ve never been a big pasta enthusiast but ever since G junior’s move to Italy, she’s been raving about the types of pastas and pizzas she’s been eating. That probably explains my sudden interest in pasta. This one here is the simplest of recipes but very flavorful.

Ingredients:
¾ lb penne pasta
2 Tbs olive oil (or EVOO as Rachel Ray would say it!)
7-8 garlic flakes
Oregano
Cup full of mushroom (portabella – they’re meatier)
Cup full of green peppers
3 Tbs sun dried tomatoes *
3 Tbs black olives *
Pepper – as per preference

* The black olives are usually canned and the sun dried tomatoes come pickled in bottles.

Method:
Boil the pasta and keep aside. Peel and finely mince the garlic flakes. The mushroom and peppers can be cut in thin vertical strips. In a pan sauté the chopped garlic in the EVOO. Add the green peppers and the mushroom along with pepper, salt and oregano flakes. After they cook a little, add the sundried tomatoes and the black olives. Cook together for another 5 minutes. The sun dried tomatoes have their own oil so you needn’t add too much of olive oil right in the beginning.

You can also boil some chicken, shred it and add it to this mixture. Cook together for another 5 minutes and then mix in the boiled pasta. You’re done.

In the picture, doing what she does best, is my Pasta Queen.