Ebible Fruit Bouquet

When I say bouquet, the first thing that comes to mind is flowers.  A nice bunch of  fresh roses, beautiful lilies or enchanting orchids. I had already tried my hand at vegetable bouquets. I wanted to do something with the fruits.

Ever since I was a small girl, I liked giving personalised gifts. Be it hand-made cards or a painting. I have always enjoyed the process of gifting. Recently, when I had to visit a friend, I wondered what should I take along. The idea of buying a ready-made flower bouquet didn’t excite me much. I had some strawberries and grapes at home….and I came up with this small strawberry bunch. It was very well appreciated by everybody.

I thought I will share some of the arrangements here on the blog.  

In these arrangements, I have used Oasis Brick, which is easily available at any florist’s. But you can also use play dough or even a big cabbage to insert the skewers.

I’ll come back with some more arrangements…. untill then, Eat Healthy! Be Healthy!

Cheers!!!

For Orders in Bangalore,

Please contact: 9916263874

Paneer Tetrizani

• Tetrizani is originally an Italian dish. But this particular recipe is a fusion, I have twisted it a bit to suite my typical Indian taste buds.

Paneer Tetrizani is arranged in three layers, first comes the sauce, then a layer of spaghetti and then a layer of stir fried vegetables, topped with cheese.

To make Paneer Tetrizani, you will need…

For the Tomato sauce:

• Tomato Puree: 2 cups.
• Onions:  2-3 nos.
• Garlic: 1 table spoon chopped finely.
• Red chilly powder: 1 tspn
• Sugar: 1/2 tspn
• Salt to Taste
• Oil: 2 tspn

For the Stir fried vegetables:

• Paneer: 1cup, cut in cubes & half fried.
• Yellow & red bell peppers: 1 cup.
• Capsicum: 1 cup.
• Baby corn: 1 cup.
• Mushrooms: 1 cup.
• Tomato ketchup: 2-3 tblspn
• Manchurian or Schezwan sauce: 2-3 tblspn.
• Oil: 2 tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Cheese: as much as you like!
• Italian mixed herbs.
• Black pepper powder.

Method:

1. Boil the spaghetti and keep aside.
2. To make the sauce, heat a pan and add oil.
3. Add the chopped garlic and onions. Fry till the onion changes its colour.
4. Add the tomato puree.
5. Add the red chilly powder,sugar and salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes, and set aside.
6. In another pan, heat oil and add all the vegetables,mushrooms,and paneer. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the sauce and salt. Keep stirr frying till the vegetables are half cooked.
8. In a baking dish, put a layer of the tomato sauce, then a layer of spaghetti, then a layer of vegetables.
9. Sprinkle some Italian mixed herbs,black pepper powder and top it up with a layer of grated cheese.
10. Bake it in a microwave for 5 minutes on Microwave High or till the cheese melts.
11. Serve it hot with Garlic Bread.

I suggest….

• I have used spaghetti in this recipe, but there is no written rule…you can experiment with different pastas.
• For non-vegetarian lovers, Paneer can be replaced with boiled chicken or sausages.

Khaandvi

Consider this, it is 4 in the evening, you feel hungry and want to grab a bite….but feeling too lazy to go out and get something. You are bored of the regular “fries” and namkeens….You feel you’ll whip up something but not in a mood to cook something elaborate!

or

You get a phone call from your relatives that they might just “drop-in” for tea…you look around and curse yourself for not stocking up enough on the chips and namkeens to go with the tea….

Here is an option if you are caught in the situations I have mentioned above or similiar ones…

• 

Khaandvi is a traditional Gujrati snack, made from gram flour and curd. Although, in Maharashtra the same snack is known as “Suralichya Vadya”. This dish is almost oil-free…I say “almost” because oil is only used for tampering, if you are on a strict diet or something of that sort, this dish can be ideal for your evening cravings.

I am a complete foodie but I don’t like to spend most of my time in the kitchen, therefore I am always on a look out for recipes which are the “quick-fix” sorts. I learnt to make Khaandvi from my friend Gauri,who apparently is a very very good cook. I really like Khaandvi because it is very easy to make but it looks pretty intricate and I always get compliments, little do people know that it is one of the easiest dishes to make.

Here is the method to make Khaandvi.

You will need:

• Besan (Gram flour): 1 cup
• Buttermilk: 2 cups
• Ginger & green chilly paste: 1 tablespoon
• Hing: 1 pinch
• Haldi (Turmeric): 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste
• Grated Coconut: for garnishing

For Tampering:

• Oil: 1 tspn
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients expect the grated coconut in a mixing bowl.
2. Whip lightly so that there are no lumps left.
3. In a heated kadhai,pour this batter. DO NOT ADD OIL.
4. Keep stirring constantly, the batter will start getting thicker.
5. You can be sure that it is cooked when the batter changes its colour.
6. Pour the batter on the cooking platform or a plate and spread it immediately.
7. Spread it like a thin layer.
8. Let it cool for a minute.
9. Now cut lengthwise strips and roll them.
10. Lastly, heat oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and tamper.
11. Garnish with grated coconut.

I suggest:

• DO NOT GREASE THE PLATE OR KITCHEN PLATFORM BEFORE SPREADING THE KHAANDVI BATTER ON IT.
• Lumps do tend to form when you are cooking the batter,constant stirring will help get rid of the lumps.
• Try and make the rolls as firm as you can, so that they do not open up while tampering or serving.

HAPPY COOKING!

Beetroot Beauties…

Beetroots are so beautiful naturally, that anything you make out of it will look beautiful.

I was planning to make these beetroot flowers for quite some time now….somehow,it just went on delaying. Today when I went to buy my regular veggies I saw some nice and fresh Beetroots. Freshly arrived veggies look so beautiful! I picked up two big Beetroots and one big Radish-to make the leaves.

Beetroot is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, manganese and fibre, it contains less calories and no fat. Research and studies show that it may also reduce the risk of Cancer. It is very good for pregnant women as it contains lots of folate. Although, there is a common myth that beetroot is good for blood. It is very low on Iron, so it will not help prevent anaemia.

Roses? Nah….! Look carefully!

I’ve seen not many kids like eating Beetroot, though as a kid I used to love it for the simple reason that it gave me pink lips! I am happy that these experiments of mine are teaching my kids to appreciate and enjoy the veggies.

I have also used Radish in this arrangement. Radish is a great source of vitamin C and is rich in minerals like sulphur, iron, and iodine. It is very commonly used in the North Indian households on a daily basis for salads and paratha’s. The leaves of Radish, are also used to make sabzi.

My Suggestions for making this arrangement…

• Select big and round beetroots
• Radish also should be big, fat and firm.
• Keep the Radish leaves and Beetroot flowers separately.
• Also while arranging, make sure not to stain the leaves, arrange the flowers first and then the leaves.

Eggs and Cheese

Eggs and Cheese

This egg recipe is one of my favorite because it doesn’t take too long to make this one and it is ideal for the morning rush hour.

 

 

You will need:

• Eggs: 6 nos
• Onions: 2-3 medium sized, cut lengthwise
• Cheese: As much as you like!
• Salt
• Chilly Flakes
• Italian seasoning
• Black pepper powder.

Method:

• Hard boil the eggs, cut lengthwise.
• In a pan, fry the onions till they turn golden brown, sprinkle some salt on the onions.
• In a baking dish, make a layer of these fried onions.
• Arrange the eggs on the layer of onions.
• Add seasoning. Salt, Black pepper powder, and a pinch of Italian seasoning.
• Layer it with cheese.
• Bake in a microwave oven for 3 minutes on 60% or till the cheese melts.
• Serve hot with toasts.

Carrot Center Piece

This Carrot Flower Center Piece is my personal favorite.

You will need very big sized carrots to make this center piece. That reminds me of a funny incident…I went to a vegetable shop to buy carrots for this carving arrangement, I had to buy the BIG ones…So,I was digging deep in the heap (wow! that rhymes!) for the BIG and Notoriously Fat carrots, there was an elderly lady beside me,who was picking up some nice and the most slender carrots from the heap. She looked at me and said, “You know, the slender ones are better”. I was so engrossed in my digging that I absently said, “I know” and continued my quest. In a couple of moments I realised that I should have been polite to this lady, so I looked up at her with a faint stupid smile on my face. She looked at the “Trophies” in my hand, rolled up her eyes and moved on the  heap of tomatoes!

This recent “Art Attack” of mine has given me some fun memories,that I will cherish for a long time. The Other day, I had thought of a fruit carving, and I needed some Lettuce leaves for the base. Now, there is a store from a famous retail chain, very close to where I live. This store has a reputation of having the things “out of stock” when you need them the most! I was feeling lucky that day and thought I might just get what I wanted. I walked into the store,looked around….The store did not disappoint me this time either,I couldn’t see any signs of lettuce leaves.  Generally, the salesgirls or sales boys have a standard answer “Out of stock,madam”….with a hint of apology and sympathy on their faces. So I asked the salesman if they had Lettuce, expecting the same answer….but he gave me a look which said….”What are you talking about??”  But I was so determined to make that carving that I started looking for options. I saw a basket full of fresh Cauliflowers,that had just arrived. The cauliflower is naturally blanketed with big leaves, I plucked some leaves-thinking that they’ll be thrown away,anyway-and put them in my cart. Man,was I lucky or what, I thought to myself and happily walked towards the billing counter. Unfortunately, The same guy whom I had asked for lettuce,was doing the billing…after he had billed rest of the items, I was about to tell him that I am taking these leaves, they are of no use to you….He looked at me, and said,”madam, yeh khaane ki cheez nahin hai,we throw it off…”. Probably he thought I knew nothing about “leafy vegetables”. I paid the bill and said,”I know”…..and didn’t turn back to see the expressions on his face!

My son-Vedant- enjoying the carrot flower!

Sunny Feast

This is my first recipe and I am really really excited.

Although, I am not very fond of eggs, my husband and kids love it. So this one is specially dedicated to them. This dish was named  ”sunny feast” by my husband-Kshitij. I usually make this dish on  a lazy Sunday morning for breakfast and serve it with toast and some milkshake-these days its generally, Mango Milkshake.

 

To make SUNNY FEAST you will need:

• Eggs- 6 nos, separated.
• Onion- 3-4 medium sized,chopped finely
• Tomatoes- 3-4 medium sized,chopped finely
• Green Chillies- Depending on your taste
• Garam Masala- 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil- 2-3 Tbsp

This is how it will look when it is baked!

 

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil, and add the finely chopped onion and green chillies.
2. when the onions turn light pink,add the tomatoes and keep stir frying.
3. Let the tomatoes cook for a minute,then add the garam masala and salt. Keep stirring.
4. In a baking dish, put this onion-tomato masala to make a layer.
5. Make sections in it with a spoon,in such a manner that the egg yolks will sit in those sections.
6. Gently place the yolks.
7. Now pour the egg whites over,like a layer. Avoid putting it on the yolks.
8. Sprinkle little salt, black pepper powder on it.
9. Bake it in the microwave for 10 minutes on 60%.
10. Serve hot with toasts and butter.

Food Fact:

• Eggs add Protein to ones diet and also has several other nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12,  iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.

Vegetable Candle Center Piece

If you have planned a candle light dinner and you run out of candles….here is a suggestion from me!

Few days back,  we had invited a friend couple of ours, for dinner. All my cooking was done before time (which is quite rare, I always run behind time when I have guests over!), when I was re-checking the menu, I realised I had not made the Salad…..Thankfully I had a couple of hours on hand before they could arrive. After all the cooking,I was pretty much bored of cutting the salad….that too, in the same old way! Took a look at the vegetables available and made this Center Piece cum Salad.

The Candles are made out of Radish, Flames from Carrot, Flowers from Cucumber,Tomato Peel, Yellow Bell Peppers, Leaves from Capsicum.

I suggest:

• Except the Tomato flowers, keep all the cut vegetables in ice water, so that they remain fresh and firm.
• Use small sized bell peppers for making the Flowers, as they tend to expand when kept in ice water.
• Use a non-toxic ink pen to draw shapes on the vegetables, so that the vegetables are edible.
• You can also draw shapes using a tooth-pick.
• The candles and flowers are tucked in an Oasis Brick, which is easily available at any florists’.
• The brick is re-usable, so next time you receive a bouquet, don’t throw away the small green brick you see at the base of your bouquet. 
• ALSO MAKE A PLATEFUL OF CUT SALAD, JUST IN CASE YOUR GUESTS REFUSE TO EAT THIS ONE!!

Tomato Blossoms.

Indian food culture is as colourful as its people. Not only there is variety in the food but also the way it is served.

I was born and brought up in Maharashtra. Traditionally, in Maharashtra, people sit down on the floor forming  a line and the food is served to them. This is known as the “Pangat”.  Even today, on the occasions like Wedding, Munj (Thread Ceremony) or even regular family get togethers, food is served in “Pangat”. The “Pangat” is always decorated with “Rangoli”, because it is believed that rangoli is considered to be auspicious.

Here I have made a floral rangoli around a plate. The flowers are made from Tomato peels, and the leaves are made from capsicum.

Another Suggestion with the same flowers and leaves…But here I have used some small leftover candles from my daughter’s birthday party, cut them into small pieces and placed them on the base of the tomato.

Some more ideas with the same Flowers and leaves…

 

Things to keep in mind while making this arrangement:

• Use fresh and firm tomatoes.
• Use a sharp knife and start peeling from the top,so that you get a base for your flower.
• Never keep these flowers in ice water.
• It is OK if the peel is uneven, it will give a better effect of petals. So don’t get panicky if you don’t get the peel correct & even.
• If you are using candles, be careful and make sure you do a rehearsal, because Tomatoes and Candles put together can really behave funny at times.
• You can make the flowers 2-3 hours prior to your party, keep them in an air tight container & store it in the refrigerator.
• These Flowers will remain fresh for 5-6 hours.

Baby’s Day Out!

I have always admired Fruit and Vegetable carving. Whenever I see a carving done, I tend to stop and think as to how it was done. Must say it takes a lot of patience to create even a small flower out of a tomato! I have heard a lot of people complaining about the fruits or vegetables getting wasted afterwards, but I beg to differ. Once they are allowed, my kids love eating up the “flowers” or “Swans” or “Peacocks”! The excitement in their eyes and the shriek in their voice is totally worth it.

The “Baby Cradle” was my first attempt at Fruit Craving. Making it, was a lot of fun because, a few friends of mine had happily volenteered to assist me.