Dahi Aloo (Baby Potatoes in a Tangy Creamy Curd Gravy)....comforting ain't it !!

"Comfort food is absolutely moving upscale."
~ Danny Meyer

The world has seen a lot in the last few months. Failed banks, frozen lending, bankruptcies...a stock market like a weary phoenix, rising from its ashes then plummeting again. In turbulent times like these, don't we all need a little comfort food?!

Comfort food, as it turns out, is a global phenomenon. A case in point-- When I am asked what is the one thing that I would want to eat to make me feel really comfortable and soothe my ruffled seams; without batting an eyelid I say Kadhi-Chawal ( Mildly spiced creamy chickpea-flour based curd gravy tempered with mustard and curry leaves, accompanied by plain steamed rice).

**For a variation of the 'kadhi' see this.

And what makes it comfort food?
It's our soul food and I think these are the kinds of food you hanker for. Something that you've had as a child, as a baby. Something that goes down easily. Something that will always be true.

We all have memories of a very special dish that we ate when we were kids. Every time we eat it we feel safe and warm. We are back home. Actually, we don't even have to eat it - just smelling it triggers happy feelings. It then, not just remains food-- it's the taste, the smells, the memories of home!

Studies suggest that comfort food applies the brakes on a key element of chronic stress.

Stress or no stress, at some point in our lives we all crave comfort food. Each kitchen has its own story to tell and its own set of comfort foods. Be it the country side or the huge mansions, the city or the hamlets....all have their fair share of foods/Sunday meals that bind a family together.

I remember how after a really l-o-n-g time when I was returning home from Florida, I called up mom from the New York airport only to request her to prepare my favourite kadhi-chawal, and nothing else but that. It wasn't that I had any issues with food in U.S. Infact it was only here, that I first did try Thai and Mexican. The best pizzas were at my office cafeteria...forget Dominos' or Pizzahut! Mac n cheese ...aah!

Applebees' and Red Lobster are still my reigning favourites when it comes to fun-food. Ybor street dotted with its varied cusine houses, lured me to try the Middle-east and Lebanese dishes too. Yes, I was in a cultural melting pot but oh! how I missed home food. (By home food I don't mean the stuff that Indian restuarants' in foreign land, dish out claiming to be Indian.)

However something is amiss at times....and you CRAVE it badly! Thats' soul food...a.k.a. comfort food...mom's cooking!

The dish I talk about here is only second to my all time favourite Indian Comfort Foods.

Its Dahi Aloo. Dahi= curd, Aloo= potatoes, in Hindi.

Dahi Aloo (Baby Potatoes in a Tangy Creamy Curd Gravy):

Ingredients-

250 gms baby potatoes,boiled and chopped in halves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves
1 whole dried red chilli
1/2 tsp aesofoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground coriander seeds/coriander powder
1 cup curd, beaten
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup water or less (depending on the consistency of the gravy)
salt to taste

Method-

In a wok, heat oil. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once they splutter, add the whole red chilli and ginger-garlic paste. Add the boiled potatoes. Mix carefully.

Now add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and aesofoetida. Stir. Take care not to break the already soft potatoes.

Add the beaten curd and mix thorougly. Finally add water and stir. Season.

Cover and simmer for a minute, on medium flame.

Serve hot with steamed rice or parathas/chapatis.

Time-Off ...... & Panchmel Daal-Baati.

What a commentary on civilization, when being alone is being suspect; when one has to apologize for it, make excuses, hide the fact that one practices it - like a secret vice. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

No I ain't apologising nor am I offering any explanation. I know I have been away for some time....but to only replenish the spring within me that will never dry. I have taken time-off to retreat to my soul, my haven for rest. There are days in my otherwise chirpy & active life when solitude becomes a heady wine that intoxicates me with freedom. I am on a high !

Afterall its only in quiet waters that things mirror themselves undistorted.

My alone-time was not without people, yet not 'being' with them.....like the lotus flower that is amidst the muddy water yet is above it all....smiling to the sun...content being with itself.

How many times in our lives have we felt weary (not physically) about the fact that we have to keep appointments/dates, call so and so, greet, console, cheer, congratulate, finish the never ending list of to-dos, hit the gym, stay healthy, eat, cook, spend time with family and friends, go to church, play, seal deals, toil at the workplace,chill at a party.....et al.

And exactly how many times have we stopped ...shut the whole world out and be with thy ownself ?!! Its important....very important....for to be able to do all that we want to in our lives, we must take a break from all of 'it'. Trust me it works wonders. You are recharged...its theraupatic...and nothing beats this therapy. Talk to yourself....spend time with your own self, when we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death - ourselves.

And those who truly love you will help you with this. The highest task for a bond between two people: that each protects the 'solitude' of the other.

I am not trying to sermonize here, instead I am sharing with you all what I have attained in the past few days. I have been taking such "time offs"...for as long as I can remember...earlier it was more so unconciously and on hindsight I knew I was cut off from the universe when my mom used to ask me "whats wrong? has someone scolded you...or have you been hurt etc etc."; for she was worried her talkative darling was suddenly quiet.However she was instrumental in showing me the way to 'satsang'.

"Sat" means august and "Sang" means company.

These breaks became more evident when I started attending satsangs (translation: the company of learned men and women) every other Saturday. I am not someone who will renounce the world to attend religious gatherings for hours...infact I am not a religious soul. This particular satsang that I attended however was different...it did not stress that I had to pray everyday, or fast, or give offerings to Gods and Goddesses; it just suggested that I take time off to watch my deeds, my actions, my words, feel proud that He has created me, revel in the joys of humanity, respect myself for I am His child, truly love myself above all....for if I did that I would love all....this isn't selfish ...but selfless love.

I cannot put into words something that is so deep that it needs to be felt rather than heard/read.

By all means use sometimes to be alone. Salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear.

~George Herbert

Keeping with the "simplicity" , I share with you this recipe. Its a typical Rajasthani dish, made from simple ingredients that the desert belt has to offer.
Rajasthani food was not created in a day. It evolved over the centuries of royal governance of the Rajput Maharajas for whom a lavish lifestyle and lots of good food was as important as collecting revenue from their subjects.
There is scarcity of water and fresh green veggies in the state of Rajasthan, so it is preferred to use milk, butter milk and butter in larger quantities to minimize the amount of water while cooking food.
Out of all the Rajasthani dishes, dal bati churma is perhaps the best known.

Panchmel Daal and Baati

Panchmel Daal:

This is a lentil curry comprising of five different pulses. Hence the name "panch" (five) "mel" (meeting) , meaning meeting of five varieties. It is highly nutritious and full of protein. Those of you who are watching your weight can binge on this without guilt...just skip the ghee/ clarified butter.

Ingredients-

1/3 cup split bengal gram/chana dal
1/3 cup toovar/arhar dal
1/3 cup masoor dal
1 tsp urad dal/split black lentils
1 tbsp whole moong/mung dal
3 teaspoons chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
1 tsp coriander/dhania powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
2 green chillies, slit
a pinch asafoetida/hing
2 tsp amchur/dry mango powder
2 tsp tamarind/imli pulp
3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
salt to taste

Method-

Clean and wash the dals and add 4 cups of water. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles or till the dals are cooked.
In a bowl, combine the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala with 3 tablespoons of water and mix well. Keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the prepared masala paste and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the cooked dals, amchur, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the dal before serving and if required, add some water.
Serve piping hot.

Baati:

As the name suggests, baati in Hindi means a bowl, as this part of the dish resembles a bowl. For this you need thick ground wheat flour. If you’re getting freshly ground wheat flour , then you can specifically ask the person to grind it to make laddu bati ka atta.
If thick or mota atta is unavailable, you can go with the regular atta/whole wheat flour, but mix three cups of atta, with 1 cup of suji/semolina to make it thick, as that’s the consistency we need to prepare baati. Traditionally, baati is prepared on earthen ovens, with dried cow dung cakes burned as fuel.
However we will prepare it using the trusted oven/gas stove.

Ingredients-

3 cups – atta/whole wheat flour
1 cup – suji/semolina
1 cup – ghee/clarified butter
lukewarm water
salt

Method-

You need to make soft dough out of the atta and suji mixed with salt, ghee and lukewarm water.
Set aside for half an hour.
Make lemon sized round balls with the dough.
Bake them in an oven on 170 degrees C (approx), till it browns and forms a crisp crust.
Now, if you so desire you can roast it on the gas stove slightly with the aid of tongs, just so that the crust becomes crispier.

Dip in clarified butter/ghee, and serve with panchmel daal and mirchi ka achaar/pickled jalapenos/chillies.


Enjoy!

Malaai ki Subz ....from my Mom.

“ A good cook is one who not only makes great food, but makes food taste great with what is available at hand.”
-- My late Nani ji

(the greatest cook I have known from close quarters, followed closely by mum)

That’s my maternal grand ma for you. I have discussed at length about her in few of my earlier posts, like this one.
She was the first one who instilled in me the desire to enter the kitchen and cook up delicacies in a jiffy with local stuff, food that enticed all the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and feel.

We talk about plating dishes now, but she had taught her daughter and grand-daughter about presentation a long time ago. You would want to eat all that she dished out.

My mother being her direct descendant has inculcated the same skills and has obviously (like all future generations) has improved upon them. This is one such dish—
Malaai ki Subz.

I don’t know how many of you out there, collect the malaai (cream) of milk; like my mom I have been in the habit of collecting the milk’s cream/malaai.
It serves two purposes…
1) this makes the milk you drink comparatively less in fats.
2) also, you don’t have to but tetra packs of fresh cream , when you have it in your fridge at all times.

Like most of my dishes this one too has a story. It was when I was in standard eleventh (I guess), when in my ever varying tween moods I had given impromptu invitations to two of my buddies for lunch, without even informing my mum( read designated chef).

Anyways I did surprise my mum with my two friends. I didn’t have to tell her that they would be staying for lunch, for in my home it was a given that guests would be fed as if there was a gala party. So while mum had made lunch only for me, she had to check the pantry and the fridge to come up with something quick for all of us hungry souls.

It was then that this subzi was born. It was made with malaai/ milk cream and some aromatic Indian spices. And with a few veggies thrown in, the malaai was well disguised (urrgghh ! how we hated malaai back then), and the dish lip smackingly good.

I made this dish today, for lunch, as I wanted something tasty yet simple with no elaborate preparations. After which I called mom to tell her that she has taught me so much while not actually saying a word. Thanks Maa!!




Malaai ki Subz
Ingredients-
4 tbsp malaai/milk cream
a pinch of cumin
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 medium sized potato, boiled and cubed
2 tbsp chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp carrot, diced
2 tbsp frozen peas
1 tbsp green bell-pepper/capsicum, diced
½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
a pinch of garam masala ( an indian spice mix)
½ tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp cooking oil
salt to taste

Method-
In a wok, heat oil, and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the chopped onions and sweat them a little.
Now add the tomatoes, carrots, capsicum, peas and chillies . Add the ginger-garlic paste and garam masala. Add salt as desired. Cook covered for half a minute, stirring occasionally.
Finally add the boiled potatoes and milk cream. Stir well.
Serve hot with parathas/ chapattis.

I share this with Mahimaa for her 15 minutes cooking event, and with EC for her WYF Quick Meal event.

Microwave 'Sattu' Tarts... & ATOM

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. ~Harriet van Horne

I am a staunch believer of the above adage. So when I got into cooking for my love, after wedlock; I made sure that I didn't restrict myself to only Indian cooking , which incidentally is one of the largest and widely varied cuisine type, afterall 'she' is the oldest and the biggest republic known to the world !

I am always on the look out for new dishes/recipes... constantly stretching my boundaries....challenging myself...and the kitchen provides me with limitless oppurtunities. My haven, and as some dear readers rightly observed that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen..isn't it inevitable with all the infinite possibilities that entyce me.

I want to share here what chiselled my adventurous soul.

My father is a man well-travelled...knowledgeable about people and their ways. I remember the first time I went to a gourmet restuarant (that is the first time I can remember/was aware); my dad handed me the menu and told me to place my own order; while my mum vehemently told my dad otherwise, that he should not let a five year old kid decide what she wanted to eat. In any case I placed my order and ate it all (more so beacuse I wanted to show that I am a grown-up well-mannered girl finishing her plate..;p).

I have always strived to be like my dad, ..perfect...to be an all rounder...be able to strike up a conversation with anyone...on any topic...to be giving and kind....to laugh and be brave. Come to think of it I have been influenced more by the men in life ...can't ignore that I have grown amongst boys, my cousins(mostly brothers), uncles, grand pas'....though my dad being the vital influence.

He is a worldly wise man and unconciously has influenced me in slightly more ways than my mom. My whole character has been shaped on his ideals. I was never the cliched daddy's princess , infact I was constantly questioning with him...arguing...debating...(yes! I wasn't an easy child). He had taught me to think for myself...decide, and then stick by my decisions...hence all the questions and I wouldn't rest till I had the answers convince me. (chuckle)

My mum still says that I was a dare devil born within a body of a girl..a rebel of sorts, all her life she has kept telling me "behave like a girl"..."be a little fearing/coy"...lol..., however she is my grounding-factor.

So taking on my dad, I also have a streak for explorations.....even in the field of cooking/eating. I am blessed that my darling hub shares my passion. We both love having fun...taking pot shots at each other....living on the edge...adventurous...yeah.. we were meant to be..lol. (Touch wood!)

I have dabbled in Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Italian, French, Greek, African, European cuisines and everything in between! Well that obviously doesn't mean I have made every dish of every cuisine...but hey I have walked the Earth only for twenty-five years yet. :)

We will keep to French cuisine today as this post was inspired by ATOM (A Taste Of Mediterranean)'s current region- France. The event is brainchild of Tony. You can read more about it at Fanny's blog too.

Tony and his Mediterranean blogger friends are on a globe-trotting spree. Every month they will travel to a different region of the Mediterranean by recreating traditional dishes using their own individual styles...ofcourse having fun along the way. They have some gorgeous stamps of each region...which is a collector's item...and I intend to collect all the stamps.

"The French... have surrounded food with so much commentary, learning and connoisseurship as to clothe it in the vestments of civilization itself... Cooking is viewed as a major art form: innovations are celebrated and talked about as though they were phrases in the development of a style of painting or poetry... A meal at a truly great restaurant is a sort of theatre you can eat."
--Richard Bernstein, The Fragile Glory

Indisputably, one of modern France's greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. The French have an ongoing love affair with food, and their reverence for time spent eating is evident in any culinary establishment nationwide. It is also manifested in the traditional family gatherings around the home dinner table, particularly the Sunday mid-day feast which is prepared lovingly over many hours and consumed leisurely through a bevy of appetizers and main courses, usually accompanied by a number of wines and often lively discussion which tends to center on political topics.

It is interesting to note-

What is perhaps less widely recognized is that France's reputation for fine food is not so much based on long-held traditions but on constant change.

In fact, the general expectation of good eating is a relatively new experience for the French. At the time the Bastille was stormed in 1789, at least 80% of the French population were subsistence farmers, with bread and cereals as the basis of their diet, essentially unchanged since the time of the ancient Gauls nearly two millenia before.
The era of the French Revolution, however, saw a move toward fewer spices and more liberal usage of herbs and refined techniques, beginning with François Pierre La Varenne and further developing with Napoleon Bonaparte and other dignitaries, Marie-Antoine Carême.

When it comes to French cuisine, I am yet to try home-made puff pastry....yes I know store -bought do well too...but its my deepest desire to learn the process. Secondly I want to make tarts more often. I do not have any ramekins here, nor muffin trays...yet I made my first tart here in Hong Kong and that too in a basic microwave(not the convection one)....I just couldn't beat the urge to break from tradition. (I can't change me...lol.) Tarts...err..life made easy and quick. ;p

I made my tart savoury, for if you have been regularly reading my blog you would know that sweets rule here...its no wonder I am a dessert-first type of a person. So to balance the yin-yang of this blog I had to make my tarts savoury. :)


This is a twist from the classical pâte brisée, in that that I have used 'sattu' in addition to the regular pastry/all purpose flour and added minced chives to the pastry dough.

'Sattu' is a coarse flour made from various dry roasted grains like roasted barley and dry roasted Bengal gram or 'kala chana' which are actually black chickpeas, not the commonly seen, beige coloured chickpeas most people are familiar with in the West. It has a distinct nutty flavour and is high in proteins, fibre and betaglucan.


It is difficult to assign it an English name that makes sense, so I will just call it sattu.





The fact that the tart turned out right on my first attempt has already raised my spirits by quite a number of notches. I’m not sure what your experience with making tart dough has been like, but mine involved apprehension and nervous excitement. I stopped short of consulting the stars before I embarked on this microwave tart-related endeavour. So, after working my way through a significant number of recipes, I finally arrived at what I call the perfect MW tart dough. The one I made isn’t a classic pâte brisée, but I do adore the richness of this thin crust. It is crisp and flavourful and ofcourse highly nutritous.








Microwave 'Sattu' Tarts


Ingredients-


For Tart Shell (makes four tarts)--
1 egg,cold
1/2 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup 'sattu'
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp chopped chives
cold water (for sprinkling)



For Filling--
1 1/2 cup baked beans (either store bought or home-made**)
1/2 cup mozarella, chilled and cubed
2-3 cherry tomatoes, sliced--for garnishing
1 tsp garlic
2 shallots, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter





Method-


Tart Shell
In the bowl combine flour, sattu, chives and salt. Add in chunks of butter and pulse (in a food processor) or cut through with wooden spoon/butter knife carefully until the mixture resembles very coarse sand.

Note: Do not use too much of your hands, for too long as the heat from the hand will soften the butter fast.


Next,make a well in the center of the flour/meal and crack open an egg in it. Now incorporate the flour slowly to form a soft pliable dough, but not too wet/sticky nor too stiff.
(Use chilled water, if at all required to form the tart dough.)


Wrap the dough tightly in cling foil and refrigerate for 1.5-2 hours.
Roll out the chilled dough to about 0.5 cm in thickness. Using a glass rim cut circles of approximately 8 cm in diameter (pic above) / into a circle large enough to fit your tart pan.


I used the base of my ceramic mugs after inverting them, to make these tarts as I did not have a tart pan.


Press the dough to the base of the inverted mug, without stretching it and pinch any excess off along the edge.
Prick the the dough with a fork several times and bake in the microwave for 5 minutes on medium high.
(In case of using a tart pan, 'bake blind'.)


Cool completely before filling.




Filling
In a saucepan, heat the butter. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir.
Add the baked beans. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and simmer for a minute. Cool.

Add the filling to the individual tarts. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and top with the cheese.
Bake in MW for 30 seconds on high.


Serve.
I served mine with a dash of coriander viniagrette.







We had these tarts in breakfast and for lunch. Filling and oh so good...I just can't get enough! :D

I also send this over to My Legume Love Affair hosted by Srivalli, the brainchild of Susan.

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**Home made baked beans are easy to make. Here is one way I make them.

Step 1-Soak 1 cup of red beans/rajma overnight.

Step 2-The next day, place beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans. Add a pinch of bi-carb/baking soda + 1 tsp of salt and place on medium high heat to boil.

Once the water comes to a rolling boil turn off the heat and remove the beans from the stove. Allow to sit for one hour. This is called a “quick soak” and will soften up your beans and allow them to cook faster.

Step 3-After letting the beans soak for one hour place them on the stove once again and bring water to a boil again. Once the water boils turn the heat down so that the water is still boiling but won’t boil over the top. Boil the beans this way for 1½ hours or until they “pop” (skin breaks open).

Step 4-Once the beans are cooked/done. Remove from heat and drain the water. Place the beans in a crock-pot. Add 2 cups of ketchup with 1 tsp of dried oregano flakes and 1 tbsp of butter. Cook covered, on low heat for half an hour or so.

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Update: On Vibaas prompt I also send the first picture over to Bee's Jan Click Event @ Jugalbandi.

Gatte ki Sabzi

"Atithi Devo Bhavo"

This is a quote in sanskrit . It means "A guest(atithi) is like God(Devo) visiting himself" so we should serve him/her/them with love and great care.
We,Indians quite live by this adage, even to this day. If you have a guest visiting, it means laying out the best fare...welcoming them warmly into our home with open hearts.

Honestly, when I was living with my parents,I wasn't really happy all the time we had guests (and trust me we had plenty!). We kids had to be at our best behaviour, forgo any other commitment unless absolutely necessary, and be present to welcome the guests. Feed them and see to their comfort before our own.
I didn't quite understand the emotion of the host-hostess (read 'my parents') I guess.

Now that I am married and am the lady of the house, each time we have guests I am on my toes and thinking of new dishes to serve,lighting of the house, what linen to use, et al.
If I stand back and look, I realize that I am doing what my mum did and I actually cringe at the thought that how much trouble my parents went through trying to help us be at our best, cater to our tantrums; and at the same time seeing to the smallest need of the guest and all that goes into the elaborate affairs of hosting a party...phew!


This was one of the dishes that I had prepared for the very first guests (DH's paternal uncle, aunt and their two kids) at our house. They had not eaten this dish before and loved it. Uncle had instructed aunt that she take the recipe from me. :)
I remember clearly the gratification I felt after their visit. I still feel that same surge of satisfaction and pride, each time we cater to our guests and when they leave our home, taken care of, well-fed and happy.

Maa and Papa, if you are reading this...I now understand the feeling and respect you even more.

India is a land of varied cultures...its tolerance of different religions and cultures shows in its people and their food. India spans over a large area so she has the mountains,the plains, the beaches, the coastal area, the plateau and the deserts.The landscape too affects the cuisine of each region.

Gatte ki sabzi is a dish from Rajasthan, Western India. Since this is the dry desertbelt of the country,cuisine is predominantly vegetarian and dazzling in its variety. Food is cooked with minimum use of water and people prefer to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. Dried lentils, beans from indigenous plants like sangri, ker etc. are used liberally. Gram flour/chickpea flour is a major ingredient here.

Gram/chickpea flour is also known as "besan." It has a slightly nutty flavor and earthy aroma. The high-protein content makes it ideal for the large vegetarian population in India. Used widely as a thickener in curries, it also is used to make fritters called pakoras.

Gatte Ki Sabzi is a popular Rajasthani curry recipe. Gram flour is the major ingredient here. This a totally desert dish, as in Rajasthan–Desert of India. There are no vegetables used, just gram flour dumplings('gatte') that are simmered in a curd sauce/curry ('ki sabzi').








Gatte ki Sabzi
(Chickpea flour dumplings in a spicy curd sauce)


Ingredients-

1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
2 tsp coriander powder
2 1/2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
1 cup curd, lightly beaten
salt, to taste
2 tsp oil
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup water


Method-

In a bowl, mix chickpea/gram flour with salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder,1 tsp coriander powder,1/2 tsp turmeric and 2 tsp oil. Sprinkle a little water to make a stiff dough.
Make 5-6 thin and long strips of the dough.
Put these strips in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Tip:You can tell that the 'gatta' strips have been cooked, when the dough strips rise and float on the top, of the boiling water.

Cut each of these gattas' strip into small pieces/cubes.
To the lightly beaten curd, add salt,1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Mix well.

Heat 1 tbsp clarified butter in a kadai. Add the cumin and mustard seeds till they splutter. Add the ginger-garlic paste, and add the curd mixture. Add a cup of water.
Cook it for 5-7 minutes while stirring continuously till it comes to a boil.
Add the gatta pieces.
Simmer the flame and cook for another 5-7 minutes.Turn off the gas.
Prepare the tempering, of red chilli powder with one tsp of clarified butter/ghee that is heated.
Pour this over the curry.

Serve warm with paratha or steamed rice.


This goes out to JFI: Chickpea hosted by MS (of SometimeFoodie).

This also goes out to Cooking For Kids- Milk event, held at Neivedyam.

Also this goes to MLLA- 7th Helping, brainchild of Susan and now hosted by Srivalli;

and to a dear friend, Harini/Sunshinemom (of ToungeTicklers) for FIC-Yellow.

Fishy Tagliatelle with Tuna balls in Marinara sauce

“Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.”

-William Shakespeare

Like many of my other blogger friends (now known and still being discovered..), I too am a self professed Italian food junkie. One Italian friend of mine,had playfully mentioned that there are three basic ingredients that are to be found in all Italian recipes--olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. I don't doubt him, but I really don't think thats' all..there is 'passion' !

Every food has its history that makes it rich and wonderful. Discovering these stories, the facts, the myths...its a joy untold for foodies. Because cooking isn't just about mixing ingredients...its magic, an alchemy of flavours...each dish prepared is a story in itself and the cook the author.


I made this Tagliatelle dish, inspired by David Rocco's La Dolce Vita ("Life is Sweet") that I had seen on T.V. one lazy afternoon while surfing channels (my favourite passtime..lol).


There are two kinds of Italian pasta--Pasta all'uovo, egg pasta such as tagliatelle, fettuccine, and whatnot and Pasta di semola di grano duro, made with semolina, water and a touch of salt.The former are flat and of varying width, while the latter comes in all sorts of shapes, from spaghetti to penne to cart wheels.
Tagliatelle are also commonly flavored with other ingredients, for example spinach, which turns them green, tomato, which turns them red, or squid ink, which turns them black. They are used for hearty fares and lasagne made with tagliatelle are just awesome.

Now a little 'interesting' something on Marinara Sauce-Marinara derives from the Italian word for sailor, marinaro. Due to these origins many people say that marinara sauce must contain something from the sea, usually anchovies. Actually this is not the case, the origins of marinara sauce are that it is the sauce that they made in Naples for the sailors when they returned from the sea.





Here's my favourite recipe for you.

Fishy Tagliatelle with Tuna balls in Marinara sauce

Ingredients-

For the Tuna balls--
1 cup flaked Tuna fish
2 tbsp parsley,chopped finely
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
2 small green chillies, minced
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

For the Marinara sauce--
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic sliced in half
4 large ripe tomatoes, pureed
3 basil leaves, washed, patted dry and chopped
salt & pepper to taste


For the Tagliatelle--
4 rolls of tagliatelle pasta, cooked in boiling water, drained and set aside


Method-
Tuna Balls
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and using a little water( if required), form a dough like consistency. Now make small balls out of this dough, and deep fry in cooking oil.

Marinara Sauce
Place garlic and olive oil in large sauce pan.
Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is soft and lightly browned.
Add the tomato puree, basil, salt and pepper.

Cook for a minute or two, then add the tuna balls.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until thickened approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Finally, on the serving plate lay the pasta/tagliatelle and pour the marinara sauce with the tuna balls on top of this pasta.

Ready to eat!!YUM.

I bring this dish to the Seven Fishes Feast thrown together, by Joe (of Italyville) and MaryAnn(of Findind La Dolce Vita).

What is the Seven Fishes Feast? Southern Italians around the world celebrate Christmas Eve with a Feast of the Seven Fishes, also known as La Vigilia (Italian: "the vigil").
It is a meal that typically consists of seven different seafood dishes.This celebration is a commemoration of the wait, Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus.
It is quite paradoxically a period of abstinence for the Italians.

Why 7? There are many hypotheses for what the number "7" relates to, one being the number of Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. Another theory is that seven is a number representing perfection.The traditional Biblical number for divinity is three, and for Earth is four, and the combination of these numbers, seven, represents God on Earth, or Jesus Christ.




It would be worth all the effort if you enjoyed reading the post, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I also send this to Truti (Recipe Center) for her Winter Treat Event.

This creative dish I made also goes to Lore (of Culinarty) for her Original Recipes monthly event.

I also send this to Presto Pasta Night hosted by Ruth (Once Upon A Feast)...the first one for Jan. 2009. :)