Kathrikai Puli

Till my age of 15, I stayed in joint family with grand parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. It was alsways fun playing with occassional fighting. Our home was always open to guests, who must be visiting their ancestral village and has no relatives around. In those days of powerless cooking, when unexpected guests arrive at the time of dinner, those who eat last will be deprived of the kootan( gravy). So my paati(maternal grandma) used to make this quick gravy. This can be prepared in 10 minutes. I loved watching Paati roasting the brinjals over the coal in the traditional choolah. Paati makes using the small violet variety of brinjal.This gravy needs few ingredients.

Ingredients
small violet brinjals - 3 nos

green chilly - 2 nos
tamarind -lemon size
Method

Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water.

Roast the brinjals over gas burner. Keep turning the brinjal so it doesn't get charred. It will take 3 minutes to raost one.

Cut the roasted ones to check for worms.

Slit the green chillies.

Add the cut brinjals and green chillies to the soaked tamarind water.Add salt.

Mash the brinjal,tamarind, chilly using hand. Thats the traditional way of doing it. Can use a masher instead.

Finally remove the pulp by squeezing with your hand.

Temper with mustard. Gravy is ready.

Serve with rice and papad.I love this simple meal.

This is off to Pooja for her VOW event, where Brinjal is the veggie of the week.

fy

Rasmalai - Foolproof method

I am yet to try this recipe :) Just wanted to jot it down before i lose it.

Ingredients:
Store bought Rosgolla - 1 tin
Full fat milk - 2 cups
Condensed milk - 1/2 tin
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - few strands
Chopped nuts - for garnishing
Cornflour - 1 tbsp

Method:
Remove rasgollas from sugar syrup and squeeze out excess sugar.
Boil milk. Add cornflour(mixed with water to make a thick paste). Boil till the mixture becomes thick.
Add condensed milk, cardamom and saffron.
Pour this mixture on the rasgollas.
Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachio.
Cool and Refrigerate.

Eurocucina Preview

Every two years the Europeans stage Eurocucina in Milan.











It's like Our KBIS, but bigger, and all about European kitchens!

Tonight I discovered a site where all the vendors who showed at Eurocucina 2006 are listed in a catalogue...And their web site links are listed too!

I entered "Plastic laminate kitchens" in the search box. You can change that if you like.

If you are interested you can easily spend DAYS perusing what the haute couture in European kitchens are up to.

They also have a Pre-Catalogue of 2008 exhibitors.

FUN!

Peggy