I don’t think there’s any doubt about how much I love crepes and pancakes. But I usually eat them sweet and on their own.
Last Saturday, I looked into the fridge and didn’t see any very interesting stuff, I decided to jazz up our lunch. The lucky vegetable of the day turned out to be the lone cauliflower. Here how it went. For a change I thought to take step by step photographs. Enjoy!
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Savoury Cauliflower Crepes Serves 4
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For the crepes this recipes is perfect but leave out the sugar.

For the mixture
1 Caulifower – broken into small florets to fill 2 cups.
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic
1 small tomato, chopped small
1/2 tsp chilli powder

For the sauce
1 cup milk
1 tsp butter
2 table spoons all purpose flour (maida)
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Also mix together in a cup
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 teaspoon chilli sauce if you want to add some bite!

PREPARATION
Set the cauliflower to boil in adequate water and a teaspoon of salt.

In 2 teaspoons of oil start sauteing the chopped onions. As they brown, add the garlic after crushing.
Now add the tomato, salt and chilli power and half a cup of water. Let it cook well on low heat.

Meanwhile start making the crepes. Don’t forget to leave out the sugar. Keep them thin, no bigger than about 6 inches in diameter. Set them aside on paper the drain the grease. (more…)

When everyone’s talking Christmas goodies, it’s a little weird I guess to have a Tofu Sandwich right on the top of my favorite things list. Well, for one, I’m not a huge sweet-tooth, for another, everyone is giving you those recipes anyway, aren’t they? For a third, I just got my camera working again, have Tofu in the house and managed to have time around breakfast rush-hour, all on the same day!

This is a little embarrassing to admit, but till about 6 months ago, though I’d had Tofu in various forms at restaurants, I’d never thought to buy it myself. I used paneer instead. As everyone knows, that’s a favorite on any vegetarian Indian menu especially across northern India. Paneer Tikka, palak paneer, kadai paneer, paneer paratha, you name it! The thing is I don’t really like cooked paneer; I avoid it on the buffet every time. I love it raw. And I often started the day with a Paneer Sandwich, until I read that it was really huge on fat – I get the store bought kind. It put me off for a few months till I suddenly thought of trying Tofu. And that, contrary to what many think, turned out to be the perfect substitute, and had a fraction of the fat.

Coming back to my Tofu Sandwiches… At their most basic, they have thick slices of Tofu / Paneer between sliced brown bread, a small, stingy scrapping of mayo, salt to taste and black pepper. And then a pinch of sugar because I like the touch of sweetness. Today’s sandwich was a season special; slices of a sweet fig, topped off with the last of my black olives. (more…)

I’m not a great fan of Eggplant, so there are very few ways I actually chose to have this vegetable. One is a Brinjal Soya Casserole, another is Moussaka, the Greek favourite. But this is my favourite because its so easy.

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FRIED EGGPLANT Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS
1 large long Eggplant (about 6 inches long )
2 teaspoons red chilli powder or as much as you can stand
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garlic paste
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

PREPARATION
Wash the eggplant and slice into thin rounds.

Add tablespoon of water to the spices and salt and using your hands rub it gently into each slice. (the eggplant will give out some liquid too) Leave to marinate as long as you can. 20 minutes is the minimum, but you can pop it into the refrigerator and leave for even 5-6 hours.

Just before eating shallow fry them carefully.
Eat them with something bland like Rice & Yogurt. A perfect combination, as I discovered.

I’ve even eaten them in a sandwich with tomato slices!

Everyone has their own comfort food I guess. Mine is probably a mixture of rice and dahi (yoghurt). Or as my mom named it years ago, and we still call it – Curds’n'Love. My childhood memory is of my brother and I sitting across from her (not at the dining table), and being fed! a bite alternately from a large bowl. I’m not sure why, because neither of us was very small then; I was at least 7, well past the age to be fed. Whatever. I still love it.
Curd-rice, or dahi-bhaat as its called, is very popular in various parts of India, especially the south, to sort of round off the meal. Dad being out of town it was just mom and me for lunch on Sunday, – the menu- Curds’n'Love accompanied by fried brinjals (eggplant / aubergine). As it happens, a fabulous combo.
This is what my mom still makes…

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DAHI BHAAT Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked rice, cooled
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp oil
2 green chillies, chopped fine
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp minced coriander leaves ( cilantro )
1 whole red chilli (optional)

Preparation
Heat the oil and fry the onion till pale golden brown. Add the chillies fry for a few seconds. Set aside.

Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving only about 2 teaspoons. Heat and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds to splutter, and then the curry leaves and ginger paste.
Smash the garlic cloves and add. Saute briefly till they are aromatic and set aside.

In serving bowl, mix the milk, yogurt and sugar to form a smooth paste. Stir in the rice gently. Stir in the fried spices and chillies. Garnish with coriander leaves and red chilli and serve right away.

I like my yogurt slightly sweet but many don’t, dispense with the sugar.

Tip : This is great to use up leftover rice.
This is usually eaten cold, but you can put the rice in the microwave for a minute or so, and bring it to just over room temperature. Never add it hot to the yogurt though or it might split.

Eat with pickle

This is another recipe that is a specialty of my mom. It always comes out perfect when she makes it and everyone I know has taken the recipe from her but never quite gotten it right. I admit I’ve never tried, I mean, she makes it for me right? But here she is at work…

This can be pure vegetarian if you use the vegetarian gelatin and eggless mayonnaise. But other additions she’s added in over the years have been combinations of pineapple and shredded chicken or lamb, oranges (skins removed, – wonderful but very painstaking), fish, egg slices, peas and chopped carrots.
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Pineapple SaladGel Serves 6-8
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INGREDIENTS
450gm tin pineapple chunks (never use fresh pineapple – see note below)
I cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons gelatin
1 1/2 cups milk

PREPARATION
Soak the gelatin in a small bowl in just enough water to cover

Chop up the pineapple chunks small and spread at the bottom of a flat dish about 5×10inches wide. The flatter and wider the better so that you dont get a very thick gel, and everyone gets enough pineapple. (more…)