Matcha Tea – A Zen Beverage!

 How matcha love ya'll! Pun aside, Matcha was a real revelation for me, when I tried it some time ago. I have to say, it's definitely an acquired taste; but with a ton of anti-oxidants in every cup and the sublime relaxing after-effects, I say it's worth giving a shot. A lot of people don't know what Matcha is and in a nutshell, it's powdered roasted green-tea. I did this recipe to show you all how easy it is really to make a lovely cup for yourself.

Drink up the Zen!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tea Spoons of fine quality Matcha Tea
• Hot water
• A Matcha Chasen (whisk); preferably made of Bamboo

 

Be patient and work up a good froth; for that's what Matcha is all about.

Recipe:

• Take a deep ceramic bowl, and clean / dry it up.
• Add 2 tea spoons of Matcha to a fine strainer / seive and sift it into the cup.
• Add 100ml of hot water and mix well with the chasen. Then gently but consistently begin to whisk the tea in a W-like motion till the tea is smooth and frothy. See the video below to understand better.
• Serve warm, as is. Or add some honey and frothed milk for a delicious Matcha latte.

Tip: Try Matcha with coconut milk, it's realllyyyy awesome!

Summertime Focaccia – A touch of Italy

I love baking breads. It's something I learnt long ago, and cherish. It's been a while since I actually baked a thing or two and this was a perfect time to experiment with something not only delicious to eat but gorgeous to look at! Yup, I made Focaccia and trust me, once you make it - you will want to make it again and again! It's easy, super-versatile and absolutely lip-smacking! Let's get crackin'...

Ingredients:

• 250 grams fine wheat flour (maida)
• Dry yeast
• Olive Oil (5-6 table spoons for throughout the recipe)
• Toppings: Cherry Tomato, Garlic, Basil, Sliced Olives and Oregano.
• Salt to taste and Water to make dough.

Recipe:

• Make your dough by simply sifting flour and adding salt. Then add proofed yeast (put 2 tea-spoons of yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and add 1 tea-spoon of sugar and set aside for 10 mins till foamy); and water till you get a wet / bread-like dough.
• Knead well for 10 minutes and cover with some olive oil and let the dough proof in a damp place for 45-odd minutes or until double in size.
• Take a baking tray and rub with Olive oil. Sprinkle some semolina (rava) and then transfer the dough; gently spreading it across the tray.
• Drizzle some olive oil and gently massage dough with fingers, making small wells. This is what gives Focaccia it's unique texture and feel. Let the dough proof for 15-20 minutes until there's a gentle rise back again.
• Now is the time to go insane with toppings. In my case, I use Sliced Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic slices, Basil, Olives, Oregano and a touch of flaky sea-salt. Perfect.
• Bake in the over at 200 degrees Celsius for 18-20 minutes until your Focaccia is golden-brown on top. Remove from oven once done and immediately give it a generous brush or drizze of good old Olive oil!
• Slice it gently, and enjoy warm or even better, cold! Buon Appetit!

Tip: Try some unique combos for your Focaccia and feel free to experiment as you like and love. I hear Potato + Rosemary; Onion + Garlic + Red Chilly are some of the terrific combos.

Baked Yogurt Royale – Soul Food!

Last week when I went to The Bombay Canteen with my better half, we ended our meal with Apricot flavoured Baked Yogurt. Boy, what a fitting end to an incredible meal. I have had baked yogurt many-a-times, but this one was special. It was not overly sweet, neither was it pretentious. I made up my mind to make it and here is what we've got! What's amazing is that this is actually a pretty awesome dessert, which barely requires any prep-work! Hear me out:

Ingredients (serves 2):

• Hung yogurt - 1 cups.
• Condensed milk (Milk maid / Mithai mate): 4 tablespoons.
• Cardamom powder - 1 gram / 1 pinch.
• Pistachios - Whole or slivered, to garnish.

 Recipe:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together yogurt, condensed milk, cardamom powder and add it to bake-proof bowls or ramekins.
• Put in a baking tray 1/2 filled with water and bake it in a pre-heated over for 20 minutes, over 180 degrees Celsius.
• Once done, let these cool down. Refrigerate them for 2 hours.
• Garnish with Pistachios (or any fresh fruit or nuts) and enjoy!

Gorgeous Summertime Popsicles!

When summer comes calling, we all look to cool down with so many things - Ice Creams, Golas, Lollies and what not! Especially kids, who love everyone so flavourful and colourful. That being said, it's often repeatedly told how bad the food colouring and flavouring is, which goes into these products. Well, fear not - we have a solution now! Make these completely natural popsicles which are sure to win everyone's heart and tastebuds!

 

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Tablespoons of Home-made Rose Syrup (or Rooh Afza!)
• 1 Juice of lemon
• 2 Spoons of Chia / Sabja seeds pre-soaked in water

Recipe:

• Make a good 500ml of Sherbert with Rose Syrup, Lemon juice, Jellied Chia Seeds and Water.
• Use a good quality popsicle maker, and fill it with the sherbert, making sure the chia-seeds get equally portioned. Add a slice of lemon (optional) or some fresh chopped fruit (strawberries or kiwi work exceptionally well!)
• Seal with lids or wooden sticks (depending upon you popsicle maker) and freeze these for a good 6-7 hours till set.
• Once set, gently slide them out of the moulds and enjoy!

Tip: You can make popsicles with fruit juices, yogurt shakes and milkshakes - get creative with your recipe and you'll never want the outside stuff again!

Beetroot Cupcakes!

 

Who doesn't love cupcakes? They're perfect little treats for anytime! The other day, I saw a recipe for a Red Velvet Cupcake which required using a shocking amount of food-colouring and things I would normally not consume myself. I immediately decided to come up with a recipe using natural beet-root juice as a colouring agent and no eggs. It worked! It worked marvelously well!



Ingredients:

• 1 cups fine wheat flour (maida)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoons of powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk powder
• 1 tablespoon of butter (room temperature)
• 200 grams condensed milk (milk maid or mithai mate)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup beetroot juice (for colouring and binding) 
• 1/2 teaspoon of good-quality vanilla extract
• 1 tea-spoon of baking powder

Recipe:

• Sift all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, except for baking powder, and set aside.
• Using a hand-beater, whisk together butter, condensed milk, beetroot juice, buttermilk together till the mixture is nice and red. Adjust quantity of buttermilk to make sure the batter doesn't turn too thick or thin.
• Gradually introduce dry ingredient mixture to wet and continue whisking until you have smooth cake batter.
• The last step is to add the raising agent, in our case the baking powder and whisk for good 2-3 minutes.
• Once done, immediately line the cup-cake tray with paper cups and pour the batter till the 3/4th.
• Bake in a pre-heated 180 degree celsius over for about 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean from the center.
• And, viola! There you have them - delicious Beetroot Cupcakes! 
• Decorate them with whatever you like - Freshly whipped cream, Cream cheese, Jam, Sprinkles or even Frozen Yogurt!

Enjoy!

Uramaki Sushi Roll

Uramakizushi rolls are Sushi rolls where the rice is out, and nori with filling is on the inside. It's often called as outside-in Sushi roll and is very popular, mostly in the US. Making it is very simple and exactly same as making the Sushi Rolls, except this time, we put the rice on the 1/2 sized nori (and sesame on top of it, ofcourse) and flip it. Then the fillings go on nori and everything gets rolled up pretty much same way!

Uramaki Sushi - It looks beautiful and you can actually play more with appetizing colours!

I made mine with lot of peppers, cucumbers, carrots, avocado and a drizzle of cream cheese. In my opinion, a roll like this is better suited if you're using mostly veggies and no tempura / tofu as they need the rice around them to stick up better.

Definitely looks prettier, doesn't it?

Again, Sushi can be only as imaginative as you are - so feel free to mix and match with some wildest combinations and always prepared to be delighted!

Making Sushi, My Way!

Simple, Elegant and Very Comforting - Sushi is a canvas for creativity!

Sushi is definitely one of my top 10 favourite things to eat. Till now, I was widely fascinated by it's presentation, flavours and simplicity. I mean, it's all Rice, Nori and Veggies and one could really play so much by ingredients / colours and flavours. There's so much fuss about Sushi rice (cook it this way, do this, do that!) and Rolling it that I honestly kept myself away from making it for a long long time. Something inside me told me to break out of my comfort zone and try it - and turns out, this is probably one of the easiest, non-fussy foods you can make!!

Seriously, if you can make Tea - you can make Sushi! I got it right the first time - no practice, no fuss! I highly recommend everyone (who loves Sushi) to go ahead and make it - it's fun, super-cheap to do it at your home and you can always customise it just the way YOU want! Do check my 1st rolling attempt in video below!

Ingredients:

• Nori (or Yaki Nori - which is roasted seaweed sheet)
• Sushi Rice (or any short-grain rice)
• Assorted Vegetables cut into strips - Cucumbers, Carrots, Peppers, Avocado, Chilly (I used fiery hot red ones!)
• Cream Cheese - optional, but highly recommended
• Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Accompaniments: Wasabi Paste, Pickled Ginger (Fresh Ginger + Lime juice marinated for 30 mins), Dark Soy Sauce.

Recipe:

• Cooking Sushi rice is very easy. All you need to do is cook rice normally, and then once cooked add seasoned rice vinegar (3-4 table spoons of vinegar + 1tsp sugar + 1/2tsp salt) and mix gently into the rice, while folding it. Allow the rice to cool down by spreading it on a flat surface and then keep in a bowl with wet towel on it to ensure rice is not dry.
• Assembling Sushi is very simple - simply lay down the Nori (shiny side down and rough side facing you) on a Sushi rolling mat, and spread rice on Nori (about 1/2 cup of rice is enough). Ensure an even spread of rice which is not too much. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds and then layer your favourite vegetables on it. Try to be very colourful and innovative here. I even added some cream cheese to it to make it decadent. The Indian in me couldn't help but add beautiful strips of Benares-red-chilly! In the end, all the flavours really came together very well and tasted incredible!
• Roll the Sushi and then gently cut it using a sharp knife, while cleaning knife after every cut to ensure smooth and even cuts.
• Serve with Soy, Pickled Ginger and Wasabi - itadakimasu!

Ps: This is a jain recipe! You're welcome!

Grapemary - Grapefruit & Rosemary Spritzer!

Cheers! Isn't that music to ears? Often when we all party, probably the teetotalers are the ones sulking around. Here's a recipe to cheer all of those up! A simple, delicious and stylish drink - Grapemary.
I love Grapefruit for it's versatile citrusy and mild-bitter flavour. What compliments it best is the subtle hints of Rosemary and together they sum up into an unbelievable potion. Let's get started!

Grapemary

Ingredients (for 2 portions):

• 1/2 Grapefruit - look out for something on ripe side
• 3-5 sprigs of fresh Rosemary (you can use dried if fresh is not available)
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• Sparkling Water - Definitely, Perrier. If not, then settle for Soda.
• Ice

Easy, Versatile and Stylish - A Drink To Make and Serve!

Recipe:

• Start by making a Rosemary-infused simple syrup. Bring to boil 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar and add 2 sprigs of Rosemary and gently simmer it for 5-7 minutes. Turn the heat off, let the syrup cool down. Strain the syrup and discard the wilted Rosemary sprigs. Set it aside, and let it completely cool down. Do not refrigerate the syrup, ever.
• Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a Grapefruit (we're looking at about 90ml per serving, so adjust appropriately). Set the juice aside.
• Add 90ml Grapefruit juice, 30ml of Rosemary-infused syrup over some ice to a handy-dandy shaker and shake it off for a good 15 seconds.
• For assembly, take a nice Glass (isn't that what makes everything come alive?!). Add ice and pour the drink carefully.
• Top off with a nice splash of Sparkling water and stir / garnish with a fresh beautiful sprig for Rosemary for a stylish end!
• Smile. Wink. Sip. Cheers!

Tip: If you're the boozy types, 30ml 45ml of Vodka is all you need to perfectly unwind :)

Note: Measurements are not for bartenders. Go ahead and adjust to your taste.

Makhane Ki Kheer - Puffed Lotus Seeds Pudding!

I recently discovered Makhane Ki Kheer via news - our beloved PM, Mr. Modi, loves it so much so that it was served to the Chinese President Xi Jinping during his recent visit to India! Well, if it's NaMo's choice - there has to be something special right? Indeed it is.

Makhane Ki Kheer is a very versatile, easy and nutritious dessert which is often served in Gujarat and Rajasthan during Navratras and Fasting Festivals. It's wholesome, very simple and takes no more than 15 minutes to make with bare minimum ingredients which are available in every pantry. Let's get started!!

A very simple, versatile and nutritious Makhane Ki Kheer!

Ingredients (for 5-6 servings):

• 250 Grams Makhana (or Puffed Lotus Seeds)
• 1 Liter Milk
• 4 Table Spoons of Condensed Milk (Milkmaid / Mithai Mate etc) - we're using this instead of sugar. Go light on sugar.
• 1 Cup of Freshly Grated Coconut (substitute w/ dried one if fresh isn't handy)
• 1 Table Spoon of Ghee
• 1/2 Tea Spoon of Cardamom Powder
• Slivered Almonds & Raisins to Garnish

Can't believe it just took like 12-15 minutes to get this from thought to plate!

Recipe:

• Add Ghee to the pan and once it's warm, roast the Makhanas in it for 3-4 minutes until gently crisp (don't brown them).
• Take them off the flame, and set aside to cool. Put them in a ziploc bag and crush them coarsely with a rolling pin or pestle. Do not powder them.
• Add milk to the pan and mix the makhanas in milk. Cook for few minutes until makhanas are well incorporated and kheer begins to gradually thicken up.
• Add freshly grated coconut and stir well. Also add the condensed milk and the cardamom powder and keep stirring frequently.
• Your kheer should be ready in about 10-12 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved. 
• Transfer in serving bowls, and garnish with slivered Almonds and Raisins. Serve lukewarm and enjoy this simple, comforting dessert!

Tip: You can also add a touch of coconut milk to make it more rich and creamy. A few drops of rosewater as a fragrant garnish is a good idea too!

Cold Brewed Coffee!

I recently discovered Blue Tokai Roasters and am totally in love with their coffees. They custom roast in small batches and even put your name on packet; isn't it awesome? I highly recommend all their coffees - they're fresh, wholesome and really, really nice.

Serve it black, or serve it with milk - but be sure to ice it well!

I also bought Hario Mizudashi Cold-brew Pot from them. I read a lot about coffees and have been hankering to try the cold-brew ever since my better-half highly recommended it to me. Here it is, and let me tell you - Cold Brewed Coffee is AWESOME!! It's mellow, easy on tongue and I strongly feel it needs no sweetening as the slow, gradual brewing process brings out the best of coffee which is simply magic!

 

Hario equiments are high-quality, beautiful and definitely durable! Enjoy cold-brews in style!

 There's no recipe here, just right measurements and technique. I'll get right to it:

1. Take 100 grams coffee for 700ml of water (ratio depends upon how strong or light you like your brew but I feel this works well).
2. Put coffee grounds (fine grounds are must) in the filter, and some water in jug. Slowly pour 100ml (approx) water over grounds and let them get wet.
3. After 1-2 minutes, slowly begin adding rest water and leave the jug in fridge, overnight, to brew for at least 12 hours.
4. Once brewed, pour over ice and enjoy. Adding milk is optional but for some reason I like it when I gradually pour milk over this - just for the soothing effect!
5. Enjoy chilled - Cheers!

Tip: If you don't have the cold brew pot, just put coffee grounds in a muslin and dip in water / jug for same time. Maybe a little messy, but will give you same output.

Affogato - A perfect, quick dessert!

Affogato

Nothing says "pick-me-up" as Affogato does! It's an all time classic Italian dessert (beverage, really) and something even the laziest people can make in a jiffy. There's no recipe to it, only assembly. So here it is:

Scoop, Pour, Serve!

1. Brew a nice cup of Espresso Coffee.
2. Take a glass and scoop about 2-ish scoops of fine quality Vanilla Ice Cream.
3. Pour warm coffee over the icecream (there's something about this that I love!).
4. Garnish with grated chocolate or coffee beans.
5. Serve. Sluurp!

Tip: Affogato goes really well with coffee ice-cream. Get innovative with toppings: Baileys and Bitters go well!

Classic Espresso - Brewed using a Moka Pot!

Coffee - my to-go beverage when I'm looking to perk up my mood or just feeling glad! I love coffee and more so lately. There's something about a good cup of coffee and there's more to it. You can screw up on making coffee in more ways than one. In simple terms, you need primarily good coffee (well roasted, fresh ground), good brewing style (espresso machine / filter coffee maker / moka pot / french press etc) and good water.

I Love Coffee!

I was recently introduced to Moka Pot by my better half (he is a terrific coffee aficionado!) and I was pleasantly delighted by the superb coffee it brews time over again! IF you love Coffee - GET A MOKA POT! It's a simple, 3-part tool which essentially helps you brew a stunning Espresso coffee at home, at 1/10th the cost of a high-end Espresso coffee machine! Let me show you how:

Ingredients (for 2 cups of coffee):

• Freshly ground coffee - 2 table spoons (to fill your moka pot)
• Water -- that's it!

Method:

• Fill the bottom of your Moka Pot with water, till the pressure valve level.
• Add fresh ground coffee to the coffee holder - make sure to top off but don't apply pressure.
• Screw the top firmly, ensure no scope for steam to pass.
• Put your Moka Pot on stove (or gas, if you will) and watch the magic unfurl. What will happen is that the water will heat up, gradually rising to the coffee grounds and then due to the pressure within, will rise through the tube and eventually what you will have is fresh espresso in the Moka Pot dripping slowly - something about observing this process is magical!
• Enjoy!

This is how a Moka Pot works.

Tip: From here you can pretty much make Cafe Latte, Cappuccino,  Mocha or even simple filter-coffee by just adding milk and sugar.

The Perfect Summer's Sandwich

We all look forward to Summers. The Mangoes (yum!), Pool Parties, Holidays, Ice Creams, Golas - everything becomes better with Sunshine it seems! On a warm Summer's day, it's often best to stay away from spicy curries and biryanis. A light meal is perfect for Summer and it helps our bodies to stay cool, calm and feel energetic. Here's what I love making and serving during Summer - The Perfect Summer's Sandwich. It's packed with goodness of Vegetables & Sprouts and makes up for a fantastic Lunch with a bowl of Soup or just a nice light Dinner.

A perfect balance of textures, flavours and colours - this is a visual treat and culinary delight of a Sandwich!

Ingredients (for 2 Sandwiches):

• 4 slices of Bread - preferably multi-grain - lightly toasted.
• 1 Avocado - scooped and sliced.
• 1 Tomato - sliced.
• 1 Cup of Alfalfa Sprouts (or any sprouts if you don't have them handy).
• Few Black Olives - Sliced.
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced.
• Few leaves of crisp Lettuce.
• Olive oil & Mustard, Salt & Pepper to Taste.

Everything Fresh, Everything Simple!

Recipe:

• As is with any good sandwich, it's all about the assembly - so get creative and bring in nice visual and proportional balance of things.
• Apply Olive oil to bread and smear it with minced garlic and mustard.
• Begin layering Lettuce, Tomatoes, Olives and Avocado. Season with Salt and Pepper.
• Top off with a nice, hearty heapful of Alfalfa sprouts and close the sandwich.
• Slice in half and Serve!

Tip: Try adding Hummus to this sandwich, it goes really well! A healthy sprinkling of Toasted Sesame Seeds will take this dish to next level!

Panchratna Uttappams - Savoury Pancakes w/ 5 Delicious Toppings!

Let's admit it -- a burst of colours never hurt anyone! I like colours and love it when they blend into something appetizing too! Few weeks back, on a Sunday, I made these Uttappams on my brand new mini-pancake griddle and they turned out perfect. Talk about transforming a rather easy snack into something curiously gorgeous and delicious too! I highly recommend these for Breakfasts or Tea-time snacks. And you can whip them up for your little one's tiffins too (I don't recommend -- the other kids may pounce upon!)

Simple. Quick. Appetizing. Delicious. What more can one ask for? :-)

Ingredients (for 4 people or 40 mini-uttappams):

• 1 Kg Uttappam Batter (easy to make from scratch, but needs overnight fermentation).
• 1 Cup Grated Beetroot
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 1 Cup of Diced Tomato, de-seeded
• 1 Cup of Chopped Coriander
• 1/2 of Cup of Milagai Pudi Powder (or Powder Chutney / Gunpowder)
• Salt to taste
• Ghee or Oil to cook

Kindle the artist inside you. Paint your Uttappams with creative and colourful toppings! Yum!

Recipe:

• It can't get any simple. Simply give your Uttappam batter a nice stir (and a salt check) and bring it to room temperature if cold.
• Take a griddle, preferably a mini-pancake one, and lay about 3 Table Spoonfuls of Batter - roughly making a 3-4" Uttappam.
• Top each of your Uttappams with Beetroot, Onion, Coriander, Tomato & Pudi.
• Be careful not to go overboard with the topping - just try to cover the top, that's it - or you may have difficulty in flipping over.
• Add some Ghee (or oil) around edges and cook till the bottom is nice golden brown. 
• Flip it. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until the toppings are cooked and mild caramalization occurs.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney or ketchup! Enjoy!

Tip: Try going a little creative with toppings. Try Schezwan sauce, Cheese, 3 colours of Capsicum, Minced Broccoli, Grated Coconut, Ginger Chilly Paste, Black Pepper Powder etc! Your platter is only limited by your imagination!

Hasselback Potato - Fit for a King!

Potatoes; I love them. They're versatile, full of flavour and just satisfying in any which way you make them. I've been waiting long enough to try my hand at Hasselback Potato since I first saw them on a food blog. Hasselback Potatoes are all about turning a humble potato into a gourmet delight and a visual treat, and how!

Finally a dish which gives full justice to the humble Potato! Crispy outside, Creamy inside - Y.U.M!!

Ingredients (for 1):

• 1 Large Potato - Preferably firm
• 1 Clove of Garlic - Sliced into slivers
• Few Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary - partly chopped and partly whole
• Olive Oil
• Grated Cheddar Cheese (any cheese will do, though)
• Salt & Black Pepper to Season
• Optional: A little dollop of sour cream!

Herby, Cheesy, Creamy and Crispy. This is how we rock and roll!

Recipe:

• Wash the Potato thoroughly and dry it. Place between 2 chopsticks horizontally and begin making cuts at about 3-4mm distance. Make sure NOT to cut all the way down (thats why the chopsticks).
• Once done, dip the potato in ice cold water for 3-4 minutes. This should help to release a lot of starch and open up the potato. Run your hand across the potato 2-3 times to speed up this process. Once done, get the potato out and leave it on dry surface for a moment - this will get rid of most of the water.
• Insert a Garlic sliver between each slice as deep as possible, but be careful not to break the potato. Be gentle. Enjoy the process!
• Transfer the potato to a baking dish which has been lined with foil. Gently coat the potato from all sides with quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Ensure that there is a decent amount of oil brushed on top so that the slices get a good share of oil.
• Sprinkle Salt, Pepper and Minced Rosemary across. Add a few sprigs of Rosemary around the Potato so that it absorbs maximum flavour while it bakes. Top it up with cheese (not too much).
• We're ready to bake. Add the baking dish in a pre-heated 200 Degree oven for 25-30 minutes (or maybe a little more) until you have absolutely crisp edges on potato and gorgeous browning all over.
• Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and chives on top! Enjoy each bite of the perfect medley of potato, garlic & rosemary!

Tip: Most people recommend using copious amounts of Butter with this recipe but I avoided it totally. It's much healthier and mellow with Olive Oil. 

Baby Ubtan Powder - For your special little ones!

Being a mom is a delight! And a challenge too. Like every mom, I wanted nothing but the best in everything for my precious little one.
One of the most important aspects of a healthy toddler's daily routine is their oil massage and the shower following that. I highly recommend that you use the best quality seeds' cold-pressed, non perfumed natural oils for best results. Try Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil or Sesame Oil. Ayurveda suggests that one should change the oil used for massage with seasons for best results (Eg: Coconut oil is GREAT for Summers since it's cooling in nature & Sesame oil is wonderful for Winters since it's hot in nature).
What follows after a session of massage is a shower. As a practice, I always massage my little one with this beautiful, aromatic and skin-rejuvenating massage powder or Ubtan (which is a routine in India and highly recommended. Not only does it help to remove all the oil easily from a child's body after massage, it is extremely beneficial for their skin in so many ways. It's anti-inflammatory and promotes blood circulation while imparting wonderful luster and texture to their skin! Let's get mixing!

Wonderfully Balanced Ubtan for your precious little one's delicate Skin.

Ingredients:

• 500 Grams Masoor Dal (Split Red Lentil) Flour. This flour is the base of my powder and it's excellent for skin. Not only it absorbs all the oil when rubbed on skin, it's got naturally occurring compounds which are purifying for skin.
• 3 Table Spoons of Amba Haldi (Wild Turmeric) Powder. Amba haldi is an aromatic stimulant, tonic and carminative. Widely used in skincare in India for its anti-bacterial properties. If not easily available, use regular Turmeric Powder.
• 3 Table Spoons of Kapoor Kachri (Camphor Compound) Powder. Camphor is aromatic stimulant which is beneficial for cleansing skin and is anti-bacterial.
• 3 Table Spoons of Chandan (Sandalwood) Powder. For the aroma and skin-glowing properties.
• 2 Table Spoons of Orange Peel Powder. Naturally scrubbing and anti-bacterial properties. Also known to be excellent for skin disorders.
• Optional Additions: Almond Powder, Blood Sandalwood (Rakht Chandan) Powder, Gram Flour (Besan).

Easy to make and can be stored for up to 6 months!

Preparation:

• Sift all ingredients through a seive and ensure there're no foreign objects or dirt.
• Mix everything carefully for 4-5 minutes ensuring a perfectly balanced mix.
• Pack and store in a small containers cool & dry place. Use in batches.

Usage: Mix 2-3 Table Spoons of Ubtan with Rose Wateror Cologne-sc ented Water and massage on your baby's body after oil massage and before shower. Gently massage the Ubtan all over baby's body, especially face but make sure it doesn't enter eyes, or mouth. Then wash it off with water and give your baby a nice soapy bath to ensure clean, dry and glowing skin.

Note: Be prepared for flattery, for, They'll shower you with a million of those cute little giggles and smiles for your effort and their beautiful skin. Not to mention the compliments you'll get for being a super-mom!

Home made Rose Syrup - Gorgeous, Easy & Just-so-flavourful!

Very few things say "I'm Gorgeous, grab me, gulp me down!" as good as a simple, home-made Rose Syrup. The inspiration to make this came from reading a packaging label of a factory-made Rose Syrup I got as a gift. It's horrific to read how much of preservatives, colours and flavouring goes into these things which we use everyday!

Come to think of it, this Syrup is extremely easy, uses only 3 ingredients and best of all - stays good for months! And the very fact that you made it gives you the confidence to serve it to even the most dearest ones with pride! It may not be as Red as store-bought but trust me, the taste and aroma is simply intoxicating. I've not added any colour or colouring agent into this recipe for a simple reason that I wanted it to be all-roses and natural.

Isn't it adorable? Try it at home and you will never EVER use store-bought syrup!

Ingredients (makes about 400ml syrup):

• 1/2 Cup or Approximately 50 Grams Organic, Dried Rose Petals.
• 4 Cups of Sugar.
• 4 Cups of Boiling Water. 
• Yes, that's it!

3 Ingredients and Patience. 1 gorgeous potion of Red Rose Syrup!

Recipe:

• Please ensure you clean and if necessary, wash your Dried Red Rose Petals before making this syrup.
• Pour 3 cups of boiling water over dried roses and let sit overnight (wait until cool before putting in the fridge).
• The next day, Stain the rose water and squeeze out as much as the gorgeous Red liquid as you can. Discard the rose petals.
• In a pot, add this rose water and the 4 cups of sugar (you can adjust to taste). Bring it to a roaring boil and then let it simmer on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until it reaches a nice syrupy consistency. Do not over-boil.
• Let it the syrup cool down to room temperature. Transfer to a clean, air-tight container and store in refrigerator for use. Enjoy!

Tip: This syrup is not only refreshingly delicious - it's also cooling in nature. Add to a nice glass of chilled water for a summer's day cooler or with milk for a nice Sherbert. It serves as a delicious topping on ice-cream too!

Corn Polenta & Mushroom Ragout - A Gorgeous Feast of Flavours.

I am really glad that I did this dish, because it's like one of those moments of eureka when you try something totally untried and it turns out simply outstanding even by your own modest expectations!

So, Corn Polenta is this rustic, Italian staple which is very basic on its own and gives you a great canvas to pair it flavours of your choice. In this case, it's the Mushroom Ragout. Ragout is a fresh-style braised stew which primarily is done in France during Summers.  The flavours of this dish are predominantly Mediterranean and Rustic and that's what mama loves!

Corn Polenta & Creamy Mushroom Ragout with Herbs

 Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 1 Cup Corn Polenta or Corn Meal
• 1 Packet (about 200 grams) of Button Mushrooms or mixed mushrooms - Diced coarsely
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 9-10 Cloves of minced Garlic
• 1 Chopped Green Chilly
• 1/2th cup of chopped fresh herbs - I used Parsley and Basil. Feel free to add thyme if available
• 2 Spoons of Cream Cheese (use heavy cream if you don't find Cream Cheese)
• 1/2 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese or Cheddar (for Polenta)
• 2 Spoons of Butter (for Polenta)
• 2 Spoons of BEST Quality EVOO
• Salt & Pepper to taste.

Beautiful Aromas, Earthy Flavours and a Pair made in Heaven

Recipe:

• Let's begin by cooking Polenta -- In a sauce pan, boil 4 cups of water and season with salt. Whisk in Polenta slowly, while ensuring there're no lumps. Be patient since Polenta thickens a lot and takes a while to cook. Keep whisking and cook on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes or until you can see a smooth, porrige-like consistency. Taste to ensure it's done. You will know when it's done. Take it off the heat once done, and stir in 1/2 of the herbs, cracked pepper, 2 spoons of Butter and 1/2 a cup of Parmesan Cheese.  Fold everything well until your polenta looks creamy, smells divine and tastes just perfect. As an after-thought, I even stirred in 3-4 cloves of minced garlic lightly sauteed in olive oil which added awesome kick to polenta.
• For the Mushroom Ragout: Sweat Garlic, Chillies and Onions in a pan with EVOO and add mushrooms when onions are nice and brown. 
• Salt the mushrooms and see them sizzle. Keep the heat high since we want them to retain maximum flavour. Once nice and tender (about 3-4 minutes of cooking) add your Cream Cheese and 1/2 a cup of water to make a nice stew. Fold in your herbs and season with Black pepper to finish the Ragout.
• Serve Polenta hot with a small slice of butter on top (it's traditional!) and piping hot Mushroom Ragout on the side. Trust me on this one, you are going to sleep in bliss!!

Tip: Add finely minced vegetables like Carrots or Broccoli to Polenta to make it a delicious dish on its own. Ragouts can be made with mixed veggies or stand-alones - keep trying!

Fresh Figs with Mascarpone & Honey! A delicious 60-second Dessert.

There're times when we all need a quick, easy to make and delicious Dessert which looks gorgeous and tastes divine. Well, here's one with Fresh Figs and it wont take you more than a minute to assemble it! (preparation takes no more than 5 minutes too!). I made this dessert since I had some Mascarpone mix left over from my Strawberry Triple Trifle - but trust me, these turned out the delight of the evening!

An Exotic-looking (and tasting) Dessert which takes only 60 seconds to assemble!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

1. 4 Figs. (1 fig per person is a good serving portion).
2. 4 Table Spoons of Mascarpone Cheese at Room Temperature.
3. 2 Spoons of Honey for Cheese & Some more to drizzle on top of finished figs.
4. 1/2 Lemon Juiced & 1/2 Tea Spoon of Lemon Zest.
5. A pinch of Sea Salt.
6. Garnish: Toasted Crushed Pistachios, Few sprigs of Saffron, Honey, Cinnamon Powder, Mint leaves.

Easy, Delicious, Fun.

Recipe:

1. Wash and clean figs dry. Cut of the top and slice them cross-ways till 3/4th height. Keep these in fridge for 10-15 minutes or till ready to serve. This way they hold shape, size and texture well.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together Mascarpone (bought to room temperature), Lemon Juice, Honey, Lemon Zest and Sea Salt (1/2 a pinch) till you get a smooth, luscious, creamy consistency - This is the heart of your recipe, so taste it till you end up feeling like licking the bowl clean!
3. When ready to serve, take figs and fill them up with the Mascarpone mixture (preferably with a star-noozle piping bag).
4. To serve, assemble a fig on serving plate. Top them off with toasted Pistachios, Saffron and Cinnamon powder. Drizzle the best honey you have and top off with a leaf of mint!
5. Pair these with my upcoming Mint & Saffron Tea and be prepared to handle the compliments!

Tip: You can roast figs in a oven for 10-15 minutes and then top them off with the cheese - it's fantastic!

Strawberry Triple Trifle - Quick, Delicious Dessert!

It's great to be back, to kitchen, to blogging and to great food. I've got to admit, my pregnancy was one joy of a journey, involving lot of great food and grateful moments. The inspiration for this recipe stems from 2 things, first being a memorable dinner at Suzette and second being a spontaneous urge to buy locally made Mascarpone Cheese (without having a clue of what to do with it!).

A similar version of this dessert was served at Suzette and unfortunately, it wasn't Eggless. Of course I gave it a miss (so should you!) but with a hankering urge to just do it on my own some day. A little bit of research, and some inputs of my own -- and here's what we've got.

3 Delicious Layers of Contrasting Colours & Flavours. They all come together seamlessly into 1 divine treat!

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 12-14 Sliced Fresh Strawberries
• 4 heaped spoonfuls of Mascarpone Cheese
• 1 Tea Spoon of Lemon Zest
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• 2 Spoonfuls of Honey
• A little Sea Salt
• 8-9 Biscuits (I used old, trusted, Marie Biscuits)
• A few toasted, crushed Pistachios & Mint Leaves to Garnish

Slicing, Wisking, Zesting, Juicing - Ahhh, how I love these moments of joy.

Recipe:

• Slice strawberries, Crush your biscuits coarsely, Zest your Lemon fresh (if there's one piece of equipment you should invest in, it's a Zester) and Keep your Glasses ready.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together Mascarpone (bought to room temperature), Lemon Juice, Honey, Lemon Zest and Sea Salt (1/2 a pinch) till you get a smooth, luscious, creamy consistency - This is the heart of your recipe, so taste it till you end up feeling like licking the bowl clean!
• Assemble Biscuits, Mascarpone mix, Sliced Strawberries one by one into stacked layers of two. The visual appeal of this dessert lies in its colours and symmetry of ingredients so pay attention and tweak your spoon as your eyes like.
• Top off this Trifle with freshly roasted crushed pistachios and some mint. And yes, a drizzle of honey never hurt anyone!
• Chill in the Fridge (not the freezer) and serve!

Tip: Experiment with digestive / chocolate biscuits for an added visual treat. For an added kick, add a few drops of edible lemon oil into cheese.

PS: Special thanks to Mahika for recommending the title for this recipe! Thanks!