Pudalangai Koottu (Snake Gourd Curry)

Many feel that a tasty and mouth watering dish cannot be prepared out of this vegetable. But this is a very commonly used veg in Chettinad. Chettiar ladies make simple and tasty koottu and poriyal with this. In some parts of Tamilnadu they make poricha koottu with this.
This koottu can be mixed with rice and be given to kids who have started taking rice as it is easily digestible. It is good for those recovering from illness and is an excellent dish for the newly delivered moms.

Please note that excess of dhal will lessen the taste of the vegetable

More medicinal value of the vegetable can be had in this link

http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/snake-gourd-glory.htm#ixzz1bKCLYYRg



Ingredients
Snake gourd -1 medium size
Broken green gram (pasi paruppu) -2 to 3 table spoon
Bengal gram (kadalai paruppu)-1 table spoon
Small onion-2 or 3 (1 table spoon of minced big onion)
Green chili-2
Sambar powder-1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
For seasoning
Small jeera-1 teaspoon
Broken urudh dhal-1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaf-little

Procedure
I always prefer cooking green gram in a kadai since I feel that the dhal gets a sticky texture if pressure cooked. Those who are used to cooking the dhal in the cooker please give this a try. Moreover the dhal will get cooked very fast even in a kadai.
In a kadai cook both the dhal together along with the turmeric powder
Once the dhal is cooked well, add the cut snake guard, onion, green chili and sambar powder.
Make sure there is 1 to 1 ½ cups of water in the kadai for the vegetable to get cooked.
In half way stage add the salt needed.
Cook for 10 minutes in medium fire.
Before switching off make sure of the consistency.
If you are going to feed the child with this then the consistency should be little watery else you can have your desired consistency.
This koottu has to be seasoned in the end preferably in ghee. Ghee gives the extra bit of taste and flavor for the curry.

Phinda Forest Lodge .Kwazulu-Natal .

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Phinda Private Game Reserve , night at &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge .

Kwazulu-Natal .

The 'Big Five' refers to Africa's greatest trophy animals – the one’s considered the most challenging and dangerous to hunt - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

Forest Lodge

We transited a night in Durban (the supposedly posh northern suburb of  Umhalanga actually) en route to Phinda . Durban was a non descript one night halt . A bit of a crawl through the humungous Gateway mall, a very iffy Chinese dinner and bad sleep sums Durban up !

The 330 odd Km drive from Durban to Phinda was very comfortable . The roads are great as is the discipline – caught myself driving my ‘ India ways ‘ a few time , as did mother hen Chin !

Our lodge is spacious with sit out decks on two ends including a private dip pool and well stocked bar  . The walls are 90 % glass  and gives a feeling of being  up in a tree house .

After a light lunch we set off on our first safari . Initially we saw Nyala , Red Duiker ,Grey Duiker and Impala ( all deer ) , which didn’t excite me too much . Then we saw Wildebeest from upfront which was great . 

The odd crested and helmeted guinea fowl kept crisscrossing our jeep , while from a distance we saw Zebra and Giraffes . We also managed a close viewing of hippopotamus – they look beautiful as did 2 naughty young elephants uprooting the forest .

What was exciting  is how our guide Matt kept trying to track a Cheetah which was spotted from far away .  We drove to the spot where Matt thought the cheetah would eventually work his way to and that’s exactly what the cheetah did  .

 About 20 feet away from our stationary jeep 2 male cheetahs ( brothers ) walked passed –sleek , magnificent and elegant . I was so excited that I didnt take pictures initially , simply feasted my eyes on them .This beautiful cat was hunted into extinction in India by the British officers and the royalty . 

We kept tracking them , and turns out that they were a family of 5 ! We viewed them from close for about 30 minutes . This was our first major spotting and was  spectacular as we could even smell their breath , we were that close for 25-30 minutes .

By now it was dark , the guide stopped the jeep in the middle of the jungle and set up a table with a complete bar and snacks ! A few drinks later everyone was huddled back into the jeep and we slowly made our way back .

Back turned out to be a surprise spot away from came , in the jungle the resort people had set up a fire , and drinks and dinner for 20 odd guests . Good fun and very well done

October 5, 2011

An early morning wake up – 4:45 am  to get set for our early morning safari with Matt . A cold morning saw us huddled in our open air jeep all set to spot wildlife . We  got lucky again , this time with a sighting of a magnificent lion . One of the only two dominant pride lions in Phinda . 

This guy majestically walked past our jeep and didn’t seem to mind our following him 10 feet away . 

We tracked him for quite some distance and then moved away as there was some buzz on the wireless  about a leopard spotting .Matt deftly lead us to the area where the action was , and then he and our spotter set off to look for the leopard .

They returned in a while very excited as they had spotted him fast asleep , satiated after a big meal . Closer examination through the binoculars and Chin discovered that the poor animal was’nt asleep but was dead – apparently killed by an alpha male .

We moved away and headed back to where Matt thought the lion would now be , and there he was sitting on a mound in this beautiful veldt – open grassland with flowering wild bushes - majestically like a sphinx , his mane flying in the wind , something I wont forget in   hurry .

We also spotted some hippopotamus lazily submerged in a pond totally oblivious to all what was happening around them .

A very good morning for spotting animals . Breakfast and a while later we drove off to Phinda’s other camp , Mountain Lodge .

Nourishing Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ah... Autumn in Vermont and an abundence of Apples right off our trees! As I stand here in my Kitchen amazed by these baskets of Apples my mind begins to spin a web of Apple Pies, Apple Scones, Apple Bread Pudding, Apple Sauce and Baked Apples. But one of my favorites needs to be made tout de suite! Apple Cinnamon Muffins laced with Vermont Maple Syrup! 
    

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups Organic Unbleached White Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1½ tsp Cinnamon

Local Apples

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup Soy, Rice , Almond or Coconut Milk.

1/2 cup Rice, Maple, or Agave Syrup

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar 

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Sunflower, Safflower, or Coconut Oil

1½  Cup Diced Apple

Diced Apples

Method:
In one bowl whisk together dry ingredients to be sure they are thoroughly blended
In a Second bowl add all wet ingredients including the diced Apple and whisk together to ensure blending
Spray Muffin Tin or Spring Form Pan with Oil Spray
I love to using Muffin Liners and always line my Cake Pans with Parchment to ensure easy removal
Then pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients using a stir/fold type movement mix 
DO NOT over mix, a few little lumps will give the muffins character
Spoon into Muffin Tin or a seven or eight inch Spring Form Pan (this will make a lovely Breakfast Cake)
Then dot with a few Chunks of Apples these will add texture too the Muffins or Cake
Place in the oven on middle rack
Bake muffins for 30 minutes and cake for 40 to 45 
Test with skewer for doneness or tap with fingers and they should feel firm.

Remove cool and enjoy!

Now a few ideas on Ingredients:

I like Eden Brand Soy/Rice Beverage. Should you choose Coconut Milk I would not use canned, instead try So Delicious Brand. Vanilla flavored is divine and usually found in the Dairy Case at most Natural Food Stores. It's only drawback is that it contains Cane Sugar and not everyone wants that in their diet.

I use Rice Syrup for a mild sweetening experience. Rice Syrup will also enters the  bloodstream much slower then simple sugars so you will not have a blood sugar level crash thirty minutes after eating. Rice Syrup along with the addition of Cinnamon will keep your blood sugar levels balanced.

When considering Maple Syrup as an ingredient in any recipe remember it does add another dimension to the flavor. This can be favorable depending on the other ingredients. 
Try Toasted Walnuts, Apple and MapleSyrup, or Maple, Pecan and Peach! Oh! Raspberry, Coconut with Coconut Milk and Coconut Oil is a great combo as well! The beauty of this recipe is that you can have fun being creative. 
I hope you enjoy this recipe and please post comments and questions. I look forward to hearing from you!

a recipe, a wreath, and an update.

Hello there! For those of you who think my little food blog has died, I am here to assure you that it has not! Our toddler and new little addition has been keeping me busy, and that on top of some recent nursing related food allergy issues with my baby girl has taken me through a time where I was not able to eat a wide variety of foods, let alone try many new recipes. But, I think we have begun to get things figured out, so I am looking forward to trying some new recipes soon. I've gotten hooked on Pinterest, and have pinned lots of yummy looking dishes to try. One such recipe from Pinterest I did recently try was these yummy, two-ingredient pumpkin muffins. They are so, so easy to whip up and the perfect dessert for when you are in a hurry or need to make a last minute dessert. All you need is a box of yellow cake mix and a regular sized can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix), and you are off! No eggs, oil, nothing. I did add about 1/3 cup applesauce because it just seemed like it might add to the flavor and enhance the moisture, but it really is not needed-these muffins (which really are more like cupcakes because they are so sweet) are super moist. I also added some cinnamon, ground cloves, and pumpkin pie spice mix to give them more of a pumpkin bread flavor, and all I did was sprinkle the mix generously with each one. Because there are no eggs, you can fearlessly sample the raw batter and add more spices in to your liking. Next time, I'll make either a cream cheese frosting or the apple cider glaze that is also on the original blog post where I found this recipe. These were just so delicious!

Speaking of pinterest, I also made this fun fall wreath! It was super easy and a fun project for fall. Since I don't have a picture of my muffins, I'll show you a picture of the wreath :).

Hopefully, more recipes are to come soon!

Click here for the Pumpkin Muffins Recipe 

What do Sicilians eat for breakfast?

Do you know what Sicilians usually eat for breakfast? When I decided to create a food blog I loved the idea of posting not only mere recipes, but also stories, origins and any other information that can be interesting about our way of eating and our habits. So that is what this article is about: our breakfast!

As Sicily is a part of Italy (can't stand those who say the opposite only because it's an island!), Sicilian breakfast at home is like the Italian one: strong black coffee, with or without milk, with few biscuits or some sliced bread with butter and jam, possibly homemade. But if you do have breakfast out things change. It's still true we can't live without the black espresso from the bar or the lovely cappuccino, we also love fresh orange juice (squeesed in that moment!) and we usually have some delicacies with those things.
The most traditional ones in Palermo and its province are: treccine (twist shaped), millefoglie, ciambelle and brioche; (up above the picture of a ciambella and a treccina).
(You'll also find the international croissants and similar stuff such as Danish pastries with cream and apple, ecc... like in the rest of the world I suppose.)

The dough of this four things are similar one another, the first two treccine and millefoglie (here on the left a millefoglie) are baked and have sugar on top, they only have different shapes, plus the millefoglie has got raisins as well. Ciambelle (pic on top) are fried and very similar to donuts, at least in their shape, but are bigger, softer and with caster sugar. Needless to say they are the best and all the kids love them!
I remember when I was a child and I had to go to the doctor for blood exams with my empty stomach, after that horrible experience (as a kid) only a big soft rounded ciambella could make me smile again!!! :-)))

Finally there are the briosce or brioche, the word comes from the French. Careful when you use this word in other parts of Italy because in the north (like in Milan) they call briosce a normal croissant, while we don't because as I've just explained for us are to different things!

Our brioches are plain baked buns (oval or rounded like here on the right) and we eat them in many different ways: you can have an empty brioche with your cappucino in the morning, then a briosce with ham and tomato for lunch, and even a brioche with ice cream for dinner or during the afternoon! This is how Sicilians love to eat their ice cream in Summer!!! They are suitable for every need :)))
Talking about the hot season I have to add that there are many Sicilians who prefer to have a lemon granita (I think the correct translation should be shovel or ice shaved) with the brioche instead of the hot cappuccino in the Summer mornings, but this is up to everyone's taste and habit. I like my cappuccino even in the middle of July!

So now you can understand a little bit more about our first meal, and when you come to Sicily you will definetely know what to ask for breakfast!

Red Kuri Squash Risotto

Whenever Autumn arrives I feel a wave of sentimentality envelope me. My life in Italy so many years ago pulls at my heart strings. One of the first dishes my then, Fidanzato (boyfriend) taught me to make was his superb Risotto. We would make Risotto con Funghi (mushroom), Risotto con Bietole (swiss chard) and Risotto con Zucca (pumpkin). He would go through the steps with the same care he gave to his Son and all that he loved, so precious in his attentiveness. I dedicate this recipe to you Tino and to all you taught me!         

I have an abundance of Red Kuri Squash in my Garden. So this week I have decided to conjure up a Risotto using my Squash and fresh Sage from the Garden! I have made some adjustments omitting the Dairy and using South River Chickpea Miso for a golden cheesy flavor. I hope you enjoy this recipe, it comes from my Heart!

  

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Carnaroli, Arborio or Short Grain Brown Rice

1 Large Yellow Onion small dice 

2 Garlic Cloves crushed and minced

3 Cups of  Red Kuri Squash cut in ½ inch cubes

1 Cup White Wine, choose a Wine you would serve with the meal

4 Cups of Homemade Vegetable Stock

3 Tbl Organic First Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

8 Fresh Sage Leaves finely minced

¼ tsp Red Chili Pepper Flakes

¼ tsp Fresh Grated Nutmeg

2 Tbl of South River Chickpea Miso

Instructions for Vegetable Stock:

To make the stock add 5 Cups Spring Water into a stock pot with 1 inch of Kombu Sea Vegetable and 1 Bay Leaf

Add diced Sweet Vegetables like Cabbage, Carrots, Onions, Squash and 2 stalks of Celery

Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes

Remove from heat and strain

Place back in a pot and keep on a low simmer

Preparation:

Saute Onion and Garlic in a Large Skillet with 2 Tbl of Olive Oil until the Onion is translucent

Now add the Rice and saute for a few minutes with the Onion so the rice is coated in Oil

Now add the White Wine and gently stir till the Wine is absorbed

Next using a Ladle add 2 Ladles of Vegetable Stock to pan and stir

As Broth is absorbed add a Ladle at a time and continue 

When only ¼  of the stock is remaining add the cubed Squash, Chili Flakes and ½ of the minced Sage

Taste the Rice as it is cooking it should be rice is firm not crunchy

If you need to add more Vegetable Stock or Hot Water

Reduce heat to low and add the last Tbl of Olive Oil and Miso

Remove from heat, the Risotto should be Rich, Creamy and Fragrant

Serve immediately with a sprinkle of the remaining minced Sage 

So in Italy we would serve this with a great bottle of Barbera direct from the local Farmer and finish with a Salad of Wild Greens usually collected by a family member, dressed with Olive oil and Lemon and Crusty Bread from the local Panificio! Mi manca l'Italia e la mia dolce vita lì! (I miss Italy and my sweet life there!)   

South Africa Calling - 01/ & 02/10/2011 - Knysna

South Africa Calling - 01/ & 02/10/2011 - Knysna 

Yesterday was a cloudy gloomy day . Spent most of it driving around the town and did some retail therapy - local stuff . 

Dinner was at this exciting place called Tapas & Oysters - good fun and tasty food .The pics will tell the story -a perfect way to end the day !

02/10/11 Started of with heavy rain  After breakfast we hit the road drove 40 Km to Birds Of Eden The world’s largest single span aviary,  Unfortunately the rains had other plans for us ! It pelted to high heavens so we gave up and drove right back !

The rest of the afternoon was good - no more rain which meant we walked around town . Nice slow day in this beautiful town .Lunch was salad and pizza - 

good stuff .After lunch we drove to what's known as the ' Easter Head ' -  a striking geological feature made up of a pair of huge, brightly coloured cliffs lying at the mouth of the lagoon , beautiful view even on this grey afternoon .