Vanilla panna cotta with balsamic berries

I have been thinking what to post before I go for Two months of holiday to India.

Yeah yeah you read it correct, we are going to India for 2 months :-)

Lately I have been seeing so much of street food from India thanks to Sia's of Monsoon Spice event Street food.
So I am planing to eat lot of street food soif I come bak like a BALL you all know who to blame :-)
So as i was saying have been thinking what to post before I go for holiday, I thought why not a dessert. I had made this Two weeks ago but has been kept aside for this in mind.


Now first time I made Panna cotta It was a Disaster.
I did exactly as the recipe said but it was not setting i know i know not enough gelatine.
I didn't give up, I started making it again the next day with a totally different recipe and there it was this nice set panna cotta.
It is such a easy dessert to prepare, but the taste was so DELICIOUS.
The sweet taste of the panna cotta and the sharp taste you get from the fruits with the balsamic vinegar was so good.
I am surprised how both of them compliment each other.
Sending this to Martha of An italian in the US for her

I do hope you all will give it a try making them. As now strawberry season is in full swing.You can also add Raspberry but i didn't had any in stock.

Ingridients for the Panna cotta.

1cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Sugar
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin , add two tbsp of water to the gelatine powder and leave it for few minutes.
2 tsp Vanilla essence.

Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil.
Add the gelatine mix and stir fast and then pour the mixture to moulds or glasses.
Set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

For the Balsamic berries.
200 gm strawberries hulled and sliced if they are big ones
150 gm Raspberries ( i didn't have them)
150 gm blueberries
20 to 30 ml or accoring to your taste, good quality balsamic vinegar.
50 gm sugar.

Place all the fruits together with the balsamic vinegar and thesugar into a large bowl and toss together. Allow to marinate for three hours, tossing occasionaly.

For plating the dessert i dipped the moulds in hot water very brieflt to loosen it.Tip them out into the middle of the plate and spoon the balsamic berries around the edge.Enjoy the exqusite dessert.
Will see you all in September. Wishing you all a wonderful Summer.

Strawberry Ice Cream

I have had my ice cream maker for the last 14 years. I remember when I bought them I used to make ice cream always, any dinner party the dessert was ice cream.

Then after few years the craze went a bit low, the machine was brought out from the shelf only in the summer season or when my daughter really went on asking for home made ice cream.

But have to admit i had lot of pleasure making different kind of ice cream over the years.

Of course now in the shops there is so much variety of ice cream available there is no use in making them at home, but still i think you can't beat a nicley made home made ice cream.

I have also written the meathod for making with hand, if you don't have a ice cream maker.
I am sending this to Mike of Mike's Table for his Frozen Dessert event.
Thankyou for hosting the event Mike.

I received this wonderful award from Sume Rajesh of Suma's cuisine. I was se pleased to receive this from her. Thnakyou Suma.
Now comes the difficult part. I have to pass this to few of you and it is alwaysso difficult to choose, but have to so here it goes.

I am passing it to Cynthia of Taste Like Home I do love her place? Every satureday there is a very informative post there. And her cooking which I love as mostly it is new to me. I say mostly as some of her food I can relate to Kerala kitchen. Like her Souree post here.

Also to Viji of V Cusine. She is really amazing. To see how she whipp up all those delicious vegetarian food. Yumm.

And ofcourse Asha of Aroma and Foodi's Hope. She is like a Encyclopedia for dishes.
You want to know about a dish you know it will be there in her place.

Pouring into the ice cream maker

Pouring the cream

Almost there

Ingridients.
500 gm strawberries
100 gm powdered sugar
Juice from half lime
400 ml full cream

Mash the strawberries.
Add the sugar and lime to it.

Method:
Making the ice cream with the machine.
Pour the strawberry Mash to the machine.
Let it mix till it get a bit smooth and then ass the cream to it while still turning.
When the mix is creamy then you know it is done.
Serve them or you can freeze then for later use.

Making with Hand.

Whip the cream till it is thick.
Mix it gently to the strawberry mash.
Pour the mixture into a deepfreezer container.

Keep it in the fridge atleast for six hours.In between you can take it out twice and just beat it with a fork or a mixer so ice crystal doesn't form.

Bori Curry

It seems this curry is not well known as it is not available in restaurants. Atleast that is what is written in the cooking book from which i got the recipe.

The recipe is from Camellia Panjabi 50 great curries of India.
Well known or not I am glad that I made it as it was delicious.
While I was making the dish my kitchen ( well the whole home) was filled with the aroma of delicious freshly ground spices.
Have to admit it took a bit of time to make this dish but was worh all the efffort.
I loved the potatoes in the dish as it had soaked up all the flavours from the sauce.
I am sending this to Sig of Live to Eat , she is hosting this months JFI

And ofcourse for Herb Mania which is hosted by Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen

Now if anybody know any other event let me know :-)
Neverknow as there is so much different spices in this dish i can send it for more event :-)

Ingridients.
10 almonds, 8 cashew nuts
1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tbsp besanflour
2 tsp seasame seeds
1 onion chopped
4 heaped tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cummin seeds
12 dried Chillies ( use according to your taste)
6 tsp dried coconut

Most of the spices

Spice paste

400 ml coconut milk
25 gm Tamarind pulp
300 gm potatoes
70 ml oil
5 cloves
2 piece cinamon
6 pepercorns
15 curry leaves
salt
250 gm onions slices
600 gm stewing lamb
1/2 tsp turmerice powder
1 tbsp garam masala
3 green chillies
1/2 cup corriander leaves
1 tbsp mint leaves

mmmm Delicious Aroma

Method:

1. To prepare the spice mixture, put the almonde, cashew nuts, peanuts, besan flour seasame seeds and the onions in a pan and heat for about 5 minutes.
Remove and set aside.
Now put in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chillies and dried coconut and heat just for few minutes ( the pan is already hot).
Put all the nuts and the spices into a blender , add 100 ml of water and grind to a paste.


2. Soak the tamarind pilp in 100 ml of water. Peel the potatoes and cut into big chunks.

3. Heat the oil in a cooking pot and when hot add the cloves, cinamon, pepercorns and half of the curry leaves and fry over a lot heat for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and a little salt and fry for 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes and set aside.

4. Add the sliced onions to the pot and fru for 8 minutes. Add the meat and fry for 5 minutes, then add the remaining curry leaves. Add 600 ml water and salt to taste and cook for about 40 minutes over a low heat.

5. Add the nut and spice paste, the turmeric and garma masala powders, and the green chillies.
Add the tamarind water and stir.

7. Add now the potatoes, coconut milk, corroander leaves and mint leaves and cook covered for 30 more minutes or untill the meat is tender.
Remove from the heat and keep covered until ready to use.
Serve with rice or parathas.

Soup and Mixed Rice

Few days back when DK announced the theme for AWED was Chinese I was thrilled but then she only want to have veg dishes so i thought why not make a vegetarian chinese soup :-).

Mixed Rice

Mixed Rice
But then I also made this rice which had soya sauce in it so i think thought well that is whinese ingridient so i will send both the dishes to her.
Am sending the rice to the mixed rice event which is hosted by Easy Craft of Simple Indian Food- An Easy Cooking blog.

Actually both the soup and the rice is so easy to make. And i am sure all of you know how to make this easy soup and the rice, but still here is the recipe.....

Chinese Vegetable soup with Noodles.
1 Onion Chopped
1 carrot chopped
Few mushroom chopped
1 chillies
1 small piece of ginger
1 1/2 l vegetable broth.
2 tsp soya sauce. Add carefully other wise the soup will be too salty
100 gm Noodles.
2 tbsp corn flour mixed with a bit of water.
Few spring onions for garnish. I didn't have them at home so didn't use.

Put all the vegetables, broth into a large pan. Cook for 10 minutes or untill the veggies are cooked.
Add the soya sauc, corn flour and the Noodles. Cook for few more minuts till the noodles are done.
Enjoy

Fried Rice.
250 gm Basmati rice cooked. I let the rice fully cold before it fry them.
Heat oil in a wok add 1/4 cup chopped spring onions, a small piece of finley cut ginger, few garlic chopped, 2 chillies and saute them for few minutes.
Now add 1/4 cup cooked peas, 3 tbsp soya sauce. and the cold rice.
Mix everything together and serve hot garnished with extra spring onions.

From my part you can add any vegetables you have at home. I justadd these as i know my daughter like peas.

Kolkatta Street Egg rolls.

I am sure all of us LOVE street food. At least I DO. So when Sia of Monsso Spice announced the theme of MBP was street food.
I was overjoyed. Making those delicious food we see in the street stalls and sometimes which we are not allowed to eat by our loved ones.

There have been many time when I was grumpy when my mom didn't buy them for me.
Can you imagine the drool comming out from my mouth watching people eating in these stalls and me not getting them. RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr.

So I went hunting looking for a street foof recipe.

Which for my delight I found in Mandira's Place Ahaar and it was Egg rolls.. And I saw the pictures how she made them and I was like can't wait to try them.
As i remember seeing them in Kolkatt when we were visiting and now this time it was my hubby who refused to allow me to eat them so there i was drooling again in the street :-(
Next time I am not listening to him

Mandira made with mushrooms.
Knowing my carnivorous daughter and hubby i thought I will make them with chicken.

I did thespices like her but used chicken instead of mushroom and as it was chicken i added more chillies and corriander powder.

Oh and she used shop bought toritilla and i made my own, ,ot toritillas but Maida chapathies.I coudn't take good pictures.
How can I , when there is two of them waiting for their food telling they are starving so had to hurry up.
Thankyou Mandira the rolls were Delicious.

Hubby coudn't wait to eat them as he saw what i was preparing in the kitchen. And this from the guy who didn't allow me to eat them.Recipe you can get from here
This is my entry for Sia's MBP street food. Aren't we all in love with this logo, it is really beautiful.

Sending this to Vandana Rajesh of Cooking up something nice for the event

Ready for the prep

Eggs first

Turn it over

Spread the filling

Any one for a street egg rolls...

Karkady Cordial

From the moment when I saw siri's choice for AWED I knew what I will send her.
That was almost a month back.
Today it is the last day to send to send AWED Middle Eastern Cuisine , I had to hurry up.
So Karkaé drink is my entry for her event.

The year before we went to Egypt for holiday. And we had this drink almost every day.

And when we were in Aswan we had it more than once a day, as it was so hot there, that it was so refreshing to have this cool drink.
Ofcourse you can have this warm also as normal fruit tea.

While we were in Aswan we bought three kilos of this dried flower.
Have been making this when it is warm summer.
For more info wiki

The syrup will keep for long, but do keep then in the fridge.You can use it also over pancakes,fresh fruit, custard , ice cream etc......
This is my entry for

Dried hibiscus calyces

Sugar,water and the flowers boiling away..

Bottled for use

For the syrup.
2 cups dried Dried hibiscus calyces chopped.
2 cups sugar
5 to 6cups water

Heat the sugar and water in a large pan, untill the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the calyces and bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer gently untill the volume of liquid is reduced and becomes syrupy.Remove from the heat and strain. This will take almost 1 hour.
Bottel the syrup while still hot into clean bottles and seal.

Making the cordial.

Take 2 to 3 tbsp of the syrup, 1 to 2 tbsp of cane sugar syrup/ sugar , crushed ice and mix everything in a mixer.Pour into a glass and enjoy the cold drink in a hot summer day.

Delicious on a Sunny day

I received this wonder ful Inspiration award from Madhavi of Recipies From My Favourite Place- Kitchen.

This award is given to bloggers whose stories and recipes inspire us. Whether it’s to eat healthier, dive back into our past to conjure up something we ate as children, or just make the light bulbs in our brains go on with a new idea for a recipe."

As recipients of this award, please share with us what inspires you and then pass on the Inspiration Award to 4 other deserving bloggers. Please let them know what the award means and what to do with it.

I will make it short and just say I am Inspired by all my fellow bloggers.
Thankyou Madhavi for giving me this wonderful award.
So i pass this awad to all my friends here as you all inspire me.

Skribles of Food with a pinch of love tagged me

1. Last movie u saw in a theatre?

Can you believe I don't remember the name. It was in the Easter holidays. I went and asked my daughter what was the name of the movie and she is replying you know mama i (daughter)go with my friend too for movies so i don't remember which one we went that time.

When it come to my slow memorry i will come here and edit :-)

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2. What book are u reading?

At them moment a cooke book of Camila Punjabi, was looking in it for making something for sigs event.

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3. Favourite board game?

Snake and the ladder, that is the only game i win.

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4. Favourite magazine?

Food Magazine,Vanitha and Libelle
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5. Favourite smells?

If I tell you that you ladies will have a SHOCK !!!!!!
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6. Favourite sounds?

When my daughter plays her violin, well that is when she has been practising otherwise it sounds horrible.
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7. Worst feeling in the world?When some one betray you.

8. What is the first thing you think of when u wake?

Oh is it Morining allready
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9. Favourite fast food place?

Friets/French Fries from the stalls in the streets here.

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10. Future childs name?

Oh No. No more kids for me. I have a daughter who is getting 16 this Jully. So one child is more than enough for me.

And to be honest I have passed the age to be a mom again :-)))))
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11. Finish this statement—’If I had a lot of money I’d’

I think it will be a cliche if i write, i will give for the poor, charity etc...... so I think iwill go for SHOPPING
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12. Do u drive fast?

I don't drive at all.
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13. Do u sleep with a stuffed animal?

No no no nostuffed animals for me. I have hubby dear next to me
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14. Storms–cool or scary?

Cool and Scary
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15. What was your first car?

Don't drive so what is the use in me having my own car
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16. Favorite drink?
Coffee and Red wine
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17. Finish this statement-If I had the time I would…

I never think anything like having more time.
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18. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?

Yes
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19. If you could dye your hair any other colour, what would be your choice?

I like myblack hair colour, but when i get grey I am sure going to dye it back to black :-)
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20. Name all the different cities/towns u have lived in?

Ernakulum/Kerala and Knokke in Belgium.
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21. Favourite sports to watch?

I dislike watching sports in TV
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22. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?Skribbles i met her through her blog. Love all her delicious dishes she prepares there.
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23. Whats under your bed?

We went to France and bought some 10 cases of wine so i kept those under the bed as it is out of the way.24. Would u like to be born as yourself again??Ofcourse with minor changes
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25. Morning person or night owl?

Night
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26. Over easy or sunny side up?

Sunny side up
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27. Favourite place to relax?

Home
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28. Favourite pie?

Don''t have one
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29. Favourite icecream flavour?

Chocolate, Cappuchino, Mango, Pistache , should i go on.....
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30. Of all the people u have tagged, who is the most likely to respond first?I am not tagging anyone.

Potato,Zucchini Soup & Click For Bri

I am sure like me most of you didn't know about Briana till Juaglabandi announced their special click event this month.Now I don't think there is anyone in the blogsphere who don't know Bri.

All of us are touched by her story of her brave fight for breast cancer

Yellow is the happiest colour in the spectrum. It signifies hope and enlightenment. Through the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the fight against cancer.
So that is why this months click is Yellow....

If you want to join in the special Edition of click , you will find it here
Read more about Bri & her fight in my previous post or here.
Want to make a Donation click here till now they have raised 66% of their target.

Simmering

Ingridients:
500 gm Potatoes cut in small pieces
600 gm Zuchini cut in small pieces with the peels
1 onion chopped
200 ml cream
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
1250 ml vegetable broth
Salt and peper to taste

For garnishing the soup.
2 tbsp pine nuts toasted.
One onion fried.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the potatoes and onions. Fry them in a soft fire for 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini and half of the curry pwder, vegetable stock, peper and salt.
Bring it to boil and then cook in a slow fire for 15 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.

Mix the soup with a mixer ( used hand mixer) add the rest of the curry powderand cream.Serve hot garnished with the pine nuts and the fried onions.

Paratha's for Roti Mela.

I made this Bengali paratha's last week for Roti Mela which is hosted by Srivalli of Cooking for4 seasons.
I only make the normal chapathis once a while and I coudn't send it to her as I had already posted long ago.

So I went in search for something new in Asha's place as I know she had a lot of roti recipes there. So I made these delicious paratha's from her place in Foodie's Hope, you can get the recipe here.
She had written plain flour gives the best tasty paraths, but I added 100 gm of Atta flour to it.

Must admit it was one of the softest and delicious paratha's I have ever made and ate.
My husband even said I should only make this recipe as it was so good.
So this recipe is a keeper for me, thankyou Asha.
One of the best things about making from a another blog is that you know it is really full proof, unless if you yourself do something wrong :-)

Delicious and Soft

Sending this also to Ruth's event .