Valentine’s Day is celebrated all over the world to celebrate the LOVE. While growing up, there was something fascinating about this Valentine’s Day and the tradition behind it. I mean who doesn’t love Love right? Especially those beautiful gifts, flowers, chocolates, greetings and what not. But then the time flew by and now here I wonder why people just celebrate LOVE on this special day ONLY? Why do they make such a big deal about it (includes me too)? But on the second thought I hear myself answering that may be because people get too busy in their life that they always need a reminder or an occasion just to stop for a second (or a day), breathe and celebrate with their loved ones. Just like Christmas n Thanksgiving. Isn’t it? Aaah, so I think it’s good to celebrate such days to appreciate what we have in our life. Right?

So today, here I am celebrating my Valentine’s Day with my Valentine Mr.V. What’s special going on? Nothing, really! We just want to keep it simple. Mr.V has been really really busy lately but he still managed to get me flowers yesterday night, I loved the gesture. And in return I am making Mr.V extra special fancy Italian dinner tonight. We do not want to go out to eat, first of all because there’s no time for that and secondly, we really want to just enjoy each other’s company – no driving, no waiting in the line or nothing. And anyhow Mr.V will prefer my cooking over any restaurant food. So that’s our plan.

But hey, how can I miss a chance to make something special? As I said we just need a reason. So I have made these Cake Clusters that are heart healthy, full of antioxidants and Omega-3. This is a really versatile recipe and hey you know the best part of it, it gets ready in just 15 MINUTES. Yup, you heard me right – Just 15 minutes. All you need is good quality dark chocolate and some cake if you have on hand and literally put in whatever you like(or your valentine). Melt it, mix it, scoop it, freeze it and serve. Tadaaaa!

Cake Clusters with POM and Chia seeds!

Total time: 20 minutes

Yields: A dozen

Ingredients:

• 6 oz good quality dark chocolate
• ½ cup POM seeds
• ¼ cup Almonds
• 2 Tbsp Organic Chia seeds
• ½ cup Chocolate cake
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder
• A pinch of Nutmeg powder

Method:

1. Chop the chocolate finely so it melts quickly.
2. Prepare baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl, melt chocolate in microwave on medium power (mine was on 50) for 1 ½ to 2 minutes stirring in between. Or melt it using double boiler method on stove top. Remember, if you are using double boiler method; add in more time to the procedure. About 10 minutes.
4. While it’s melting, prepare the other ingredients that you want to put in – Crumb the cake, slice almonds, remove POM seeds etc…
5. When chocolate is melted completely, add in all the ingredients at once. Mix well and scoop out a tablespoon of mixture on baking sheet. Garnish with some POM seeds n almonds. Refrigerate it for at least 10 minutes. And it’s ready! Now how easy is that?

Serve it for dessert, enjoy as afternoon snack or give as gift. Everyone will appreciate these gourmet chocolate cake clusters. Happy Valentine’s day to you and your loved one. Enjoy!

Question: Do you celebrate Valentine’s day?

Is it possible to travel back in the past and live those wonderful moments that we really loved in our life? I really wish that was possible then I would have traveled back to my childhood and lived all those most cherishable moments of my life with my parents and siblings. I will even take Mr. V on that tour. That will be amazing actually. So does anybody own a time machine that I can borrow?? No, really? I am not kidding. Sometimes time flies so fast that you do not just realize it. I was like celebrating New Year’s eve yesterday and not it is already September, where did the time go??

It’s funny how we always appreciate the value of things ones they are gone, isn’t it? When I was a kid, I had all the time in the world for myself but I wanted to grow up so I can have all the freedom and now when I am all grown up surrounded by responsibilities, I feel like it really is not an easy job being an adult. Now when I look at parents and I wonder, how did they do it? And that too with four kids?? Bravo to them!!

Well, but life goes on and so I have to. But the one thing I can do to keep those memories alive is to recreate it and live them again. Or at least try too.  Like this soup. I never thought that this will be a memory to remember when I grow up and it will actually make me feel homesick. So basically this soup was my all time alternate favorite to mango juice in summer. Every summer when our house was flooded with mangoes and when the mangoes were not ripe enough to eat (which was the case many times), mom used to make this. Indian summer is really hard to bear and so you have to stay hydrated. Cantaloupe is full of water and it keeps you hydrated.

Finely grated sweet cantaloupe flavored with cardamom and served chilled along with freshly made hot rumali wheat roti dipped in ghee! Yummm! It is purely a bliss. That is how my mom serves it and I love it and it became a memory of lifetime. Now I make it for Mr. V and he loves it too! See this way I am living that memory by thinking of my mom and her kitchen and her genius way of keeping us hydrated etc…etc… Absolutely adore her!

You can’t call me a foodie if I do not tweak a recipe and give it another dimension, right? So here is my version of cantaloupe soup with cardamom infused cherry syrup served with a dollop of ricotta cheese and roasted almond slices. A healthy alternate to regular dessert! Make it while the melon is still in the season.

Cantaloupe soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 Ripe cantaloupe
• Sugar – to taste
• 1 Tbsp – Lemon juice
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• A pinch of salt

Wash and cut the cantaloupe. Using a spoon remove the seeds and chop the cantaloupe. Puree in food processor. Remove it in a big bowl and add lemon juice, sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and let it chill.

Cardamom infused cherry compote:

In culinary arts, Compote is a recipe of any fruit cooked in some type of syrup. Normally you get to eat the big chunks of fruits but here I have pureed the compote to change the texture that goes with my soup. But it is totally optional. This can be made ahead and store in refrigerator for a week or so.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted cherries – chopped
• 1 – 2 Tbsp Brown sugar (Depends how sweet your cherries are)
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ tsp Cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp salt

In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or cherries are soft, cooked. Let it cool down and either serve like that or purée in food processor. Store in refrigerator for a week or so. Use as required.

How to serve:

Serve a ladle full of soup in a soup bowl. Top with a spoon full of cherry syrup along with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese and some roasted sliced almonds. Enjoy!

“My mom’s way of serving it – Simple yet delicious’

Make sure to give it a try! You will like it as much we did

Question: It’s a long Labor day weekend, how are you all celebrating it?

We will be celebrating it with our friends and also celebrating Mr.V’s birthday! It is going to be busy weekend! Have a happy Long weekend!

Here’s a quick recap for recipes that I have created using summer produces like Berries, Mango, Broccoli, Avocado, Cucumber, Zucchini, Squash, Stone fruit, Watermelon etc.All these produces are available right now in your local grocery market. So why not make a best use of what is available and make your meal affordable, healthy yet delicious! Let’s enjoy summer together

“Image courtesy: Google”

Summer is at its high peak and the weather demands for some chilled drinks!

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake - Strawberries are still available in the market and that too at good price. Grab some before it is gone to make this delicious fulfilling, low calorie healthy milkshake. I know you will get hooked to it.

Mango-Pineapple non alcoholic Sangria – So summery! Mango, pineapple, mint and ginger – bliss! And oh kid friendly too

Kid Friendly Mango Pineapple Sangria

Rooh Afza Lemonade – Refreshing and perfect to beat the heat. Rose, lemon and cumin does wonders.

Breakfast:

Berry Lemon Scones – Looking for perfect healthy breakfast? Here’s the solution – Make this delicious, flaky berry lemon scones to accompany your coffee! You won’t need to stop at Starbucks next time – I guarantee that!

“Berry scones drizzled with lemon glaze”

Not in mood to eat scones? Make these wholesome banana crunch muffins that are made of Healthy whole wheat flour, granola, nuts and banana!

Wholesome Banana crunch muffins

Or how about some savory breakfast?

Sun dried tomato pesto breakfast rolls Can be made earlier and store at room temperature.

“What to make for dinner tonight”?? That is the one question that rises in every household everyday. Doesn’t it? Even I am blank sometimes when I am too tired or feeling lazy to cook dinner or even lunch!   So here are some ideas to help you make quick, easy and healthy meal at home in no time.

Soups, Sandwiches and Salads:

In mood to have soup in this hot weather? Really? Well yes, you can still have it. These soups tastes best when served at room temperature or chilled.

Broccoli-pistachio soup with avocado

Cucumber Gazpacho with avocado and spiced croutons

And if your weather demands for something hot then here’s what you can make

Hearty Potato soup

Sandwiches are like always go to meals in our house. Easy to make yet yummy and fulfilling.

Classic Indian Summer Sandwich

Simple vegetable tea time sandwich with cucumber ranch

Sun dried tomato pesto Sandwich with grilled tofu

Salads are just not about leafy greens anymore! Pasta salad, Fruit salad, Quinoa salad and what not! Salads can take place of your meal easily if prepared carefully.

Caprese

Mediterranean pasta salad

Peach n Beetroot salad with Lemon n Shallot Vinaigrette

Quinoa salad with Kale and Summer vegetables – Best when served at room temperature

Spinach Strawberry salad with Baked Goat cheese

Watermelon Mozzarella Salad

Some dinner ideas for using summer produce!

Greek Zucchini and beetroot fritters

Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart

Corn Chevdo/ No-rice Risotto – No need to eat starchy risotto when you can make risotto using fresh corn.

Pan-fried Bruschetta with thai tomato chutney – I can have this all day every day! Flavors are just amazing.

Spring pasta with lemony, garlicky, buttery walnut sauce – we love this!

Char grilled Broccoli with Cherry chillies and garlic tadka – perfect side dish

Chole Chaat

5 Layer Mexican dip Eggplant Raita/Dip

Balsamic Cherries n Peach crisp

Mangomisu Swiss Rolls

No-bake chocolate pudding

Orange Custard – Hubby’s favorite

Pineapple coconut curd that goes well on scones, biscuits or cupcakes!

And last but never the least our favorite Strawberry ricotta mousse

Question: How are you all celebrating summer??

I have been meaning to share this recipe from long time. But as some of you know (facebook fans) I have got tendonitis in my right wrist and doctor has asked me to give it rest. And I am a right-handed so it has been pretty tough and boring because of limitations. But by God’s grace and V’s full support, it is recovering pretty well. I still need to take precautions like wear a wrist brace strictly for few more weeks, ice massage n do some special exercise. So hopefully I will be able to get back to normal routine pretty soon.

Salt and pepper tofu – way too simple, quick, healthy, tasty and comfy! That says it all about this dish. It gets ready in minutes and it is super healthy because of course of tofu. By any chance if you are a tofu lover like me, you are surely going to love this recipe. I remember when I tried this dish for the first time at our favorite restaurant “Lucky Palace” in Pocatello. We used to go there a lot – almost on every occasion. The owner was such a nice woman. Her warm welcome used to make us go there again and again. Too bad the restaurant closed down because of recession and till this day I haven’t had same salt and pepper tofu!

The magic key to get this dish right is to season it properly with salt and pepper. Not much or no less – just properly seasoned. Perfect seasoned dish can literally win over any dish that is under seasoned. You know who am I thinking of right now when I say “Properly seasoned”? Mr. Ramsay! I can literally hear his voice in my head – saying “Under seasoned/properly seasoned” to his Master chef season 3 contestants. I love this show not only because it is a cooking show but it is very inspiring. Do you watch the show? If not, you are really missing out. There is this one contestant Christina, who is BLIND but oh boy she is outstanding! No matter what you give her to cook, she does an incredible job. Brave and inspiring are the words for her.

Check out the video :

Isn’t she brilliant?

Coming back to the recipe, traditionally tofu is deep-fried in this recipe. But I used shallow fry method and used EVOO to make it healthier. But you can definitely go for deep-frying method using normal canola/vegetable oil.

I am sure you will love this comfy, healthy n quick recipe.  Here’s what you need to make crispy salt and pepper tofu.

Ingredients:

• 1 pk Extra firm drained Tofu
• ½ cup Corn starch
• Salt and pepper to taste (about ½ tsp each)
• 2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra virgin Olive oil) to shallow fry
• Red chili oil
• Few strings of celery – sliced diagonally
• 1 or 2 Green onions – sliced diagonally

Method:

1. Drain tofu very well. Cut in to one inch cubes and keep it aside.
2. In a medium zip-lock bag, add corn starch, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Add tofu pieces to the corn starch mixture. Zip the bag and toss it well. Make sure all the tofu pieces are well coated.
4. Heat EVOO in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Fry tofu pieces in a batch. Do not crowd up, otherwise it won’t crisp up. Turn the sides in between using tong or toss the tofu (chef style).
5. Serve it on a platter with toothpicks. Garnish with chopped celery and green onions. Oh and do not forget to sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper.
6. It goes very well with simple red chili oil. If you do not know how to make it, let me know.

Tips:

1. Make sure the pan is hot enough otherwise tofu won’t crisp up properly.
2. Celery n salt and pepper tofu are like perfect match. For me, I have to have one piece of celery with each tofu piece along with bit chili oil. Just comfy! So do not skip on celery, you will love the combo.
3. I really love Trader Joe’s tofu. It is organic yet cheaper than normal tofu. So go for Trader Joe’s tofu if you have the store close by.

Question: Do you like Tofu?? Yes/No – why?

I am crazy for tofu. I can have it all day every day.

Enjoy!

Stacy curtz – Comment #53
Dixya – Comment # 7 replacing Becca – Comment # 3 replacing Joanna – Comment #42
Teresa – Comment # 9 replacing Gloria Richards – Comment # 35

replacing Corgipants – Comment # 52 replacing Lynne – Comment #38

Congratulations! Winners have 24 hours to get back to me. Or else I will have to pick another winner.

Yet another giveaway time: The birthday celebration continues! This time the giveaway is sponsored by the “Beanilla“. They are giving away their most famous “Premium Mexican Vanilla beans”. Excited? Want to know more? I will get back to the details in a while but at first let’s talk about what I made using their rich mexican vanilla beans.

I always used pure vanilla extract in my cooking/baking. Never tried out the beans first of all because they are bit pricy and secondly never knew which one is the best – so many verities are there in market! But it all changed when last year I attended my first foodblogforum conference. I was lucky to return home with a swag bag filled with amazing food products including a glass vial of Mexican Vanilla beans. I was so excited! Once I tried it, I became a fan of vanilla beans. The flavor was way better compared to any vanilla extract and I fell in love with those tiny vanilla seeds that makes your dish even more beautiful. Now I rarely use vanilla extract anymore. Thanks to Beanilla

So what did I make using these beans this time? Vegan Pineapple curd! Smooth, sweet and tangy – just perfect! And it is absolutely out of this world. If you are familiar with fruit curds then you know what I am talking about but if you are not, then let me explain. What is this fruit curd? Basically it is kind of thick, smooth and flavorful sauce made of fruits, eggs and citrus. And as per Wikipedia, it was originated in England back in 19^th century. It is normally used over scones, biscuits, muffins, cupcakes, pies etc… Well whatever it is, it is simply delicious. You just can’t stop eating it.

Pineapple and coconut is such match made in heaven, isn’t it? Plus it is sooo summery and kids love it.

Since I do not eat eggs, this recipe is vegan – that means absolutely no unnecessary fat and calories from eggs and butter. I even substituted sugar with Organic Agave nectar to sweeten this curd. So this recipe is healthy, low in fat and low in sugar J Although it is vegan, I promise about not compromising on the taste, you know why? Late in March, I participated in this charity event called Cupcake Palooza. Where I made about 180 mini pina-colada cupcakes filled with this delicious chilled pineapple curd and it was a hit. People came for seconds. What else do I need, right?

So as I said this is a full proof recipe which you will surely enjoy! Oh and BTW, I still wonder why it is called CURD? Technically curd and yogurt is the same thing…so still trying to figure out the reason behind this name! Do you know why? Please explain.

Vegan Pineapple Curd:

Yields: 2 cups

Total time: 20 minutes Plus Chilling time

Ingredients:

• 1 ½  cup canned pineapple or use fresh
• 2 Tbsp Organic Agave Nectar
• ½ cup lite Coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water or pineapple juice
• ½ Beanilla Mexican vanilla bean or 1 Tbsp Vanilla syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp Margarine
• 2 Tbsp Shredded dried coconut – Just for optional texture but it is completely optional

Method:

1. Drain canned pineapple and save the juice.
2. Puree pineapple using a food processor,  and use 1 ½ cups of it.
3. Mix pineapple purée with coconut milk, agave nectar and dissolved corn starch. Whisk well. Slit the vanilla bean to half using knife and add this to the pineapple mixture. Let the pod release the beans itself while cooking.
4. In a medium saucepan, cook this mixture over medium heat. Stir continuously. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken and you see bubbles appearing on the surface. It takes about 10 minutes. Keep stirring. Right at the end, add margarine, mix well and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove it from the heat and transfer the mixture to a glass bowl.
   

   Keep stirring!

5.  Let it chill in a refrigerator before you use it. It goes well with bread toast, scones, cookies or cupcakes. OR eat a spoon full of it just like I had it last night as my dessert

Tips: If you are going to chill it in refrigerator, then cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap to prevent dry layer.

You can take out the bean pod once the curd is cooked and chilled. Choice is yours.

Giveaway details:

Beanilla beans is generous enough to giveaway 3 glass vials filled with 5 premium Mexican vanilla beans for 3 lucky Winners. Wohoo! What a wonderful giveaway!

This giveaway is open for USA residents only. If you live outside the USA, and if you still wish to enter, you have to provide USA address where they can ship the price pack.

This giveaway is open until Thursday (06/07/12) 11:59 pm (your time).  I will pick three lucky winners on Friday (06/08/12). 

The winner will have 24 hours to get back to me so make sure to leave a valid email address. Your information is confidential.

I will use the random number generator software to pick the winners. So if you choose to go for extra entries, make sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Otherwise the number generator software will not recognize your entry.

Mandatory entry: Just leave a comment in this post saying what will you make with this vanilla beans if you win. 

Optional entries: Make sure to leave separate comments for each step you follow.

Remember to leave a separate comment for every step.

• Subscribe to ZaikaZabardast so you do not miss a single post. (You don’t want to miss a post if you are the winner, do you? Go Subscribe!)
• Follow me on Pinterest.
• Like my Facebook page.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• Follow Beanilla  on Twitter.
• Follow Beanilla on Facebook.
• Tweet about this giveaway saying: “I just entered to win  beautiful premium Beanilla from ZaikaZabardast http://wp.me/pTI6E-ty @zaikazabardast @beanilla” or something like that.

Enjoy!

Other OPEN Giveaways to enter:

Free Wholly Guacamole Products

A case full of Beautiful Lipman Tomatoes

Food Blogging for Dummies – A book giveaway

Claudia – Comment #43
Jennifer – Comment #40 replacing La Tanya – Comment #9

Julie – Comment #68

COngratulations! Winners have 24 hours to get back to me. Or else I will have to pick another winner.

Yet another giveaway time .The birthday celebration continues with the most trusted Wholly guacamole giveaway!

Yup, this giveaway is sponsored by Wholly guacamole. I will get back to the giveaway in a while. At first let’s talk about how I ended up with 10 delicious packages of Wholly products at my door.

Somewhere in March, I entered one of the giveaways on my friend Katie’s blog and luckily I was the winner of 10 packets of Wholly products. Take a look at the variety of products I received. Few packets are still left in my freezer.

I always loved Wholly products so it was a perfect treat for me BUT the only question was what will I do with all this guacamole. I mean I do love avocado and I am crazy for guacamole but too much of everything is just too much, isn’t it?

But thanks to Wholly guacamole that I can freeze their guacamole and salsa. And when I need it, just take one package out, defrost and enjoy.  So convenient.  You know what is the best thing to like about Wholly? You do not taste preservative at all. Because it is made of all natural ingredients – just like homemade.

Coming back to the recipe – This Mexican dip is one of the staple evening snacks in my house. It always makes a nice appetizer and guests love it. Healthy, flavorful, easy to make and crowd pleased! Two thumbs up!

Layered Mexican Dip

Yields: 6 individual cups or 9″ pie plate

Total time: Less than 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 can Organic kidney beans or re fried beans
• 1 Tbsp Taco seasoning mix
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• Zest of one Lime
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 cup Wholly Salsa
• 1 cup Wholly Guacamole
• 1 chopped Tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped Onion/Green onion
• 1/2 cup Sliced and drained black olives
• 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
• 2/3 cup Shredded  Mexican Cheddar cheese

1. In a bowl, mash beans using potato masher or fork. In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté garlic for a minute. Add mashed beans along with taco seasoning mix, some salt, ½ cup of water and cook for about 5 minutes. Once cooked, let it cool down completely before serving. (Add more water if needed).
2. Make lime seasoned Greek yogurt: In a bowl mix low-fat Greek yogurt, lime zest and a tsp of lime juice. Keep it aside.

How to assemble:

Makes 6 servings in individual cups, follow the steps mentioned below. If you prefer, you can even layer out everything in a 9”pie plate.

1.  Layer a big spoon of everything on the. Start with beans, seasoned yogurt, salsa, guacamole and chopped vegetables and cheese.
2. Serve with tortilla chips or vegetable sticks.

GIVEAWAY :

Wholly Guacamole is generous enough to giveaway 3 VIP Coupons for FREE Wholly Guacamole products for 3 lucky Winners. So if you are one of the winner, they will ship you 3 VIP coupons with some of their cute goodies. 

This giveaway is open for USA residents only. If you live outside the USA, and if you still wish to enter, you have to provide USA address where they can ship the price pack.

This giveaway is open until Thursday (5/31/12) 11:59:59 pm (your time). I will pick three lucky winners on Friday (06/01/12).

Because of Memorial day long weekend holiday here in USA, I am extending the giveaway deadline for another week. Now the giveaway is open until Thursday (06/07/12) 11:59 pm (your time).  I will pick three lucky winners on Friday (06/08/12). 

The winner will have 24 hours to get back to me so make sure to leave a valid email address. Your information is confidential.

I will use the random number generator software to pick the winners. So if you choose to go for extra entries, make sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Otherwise the number generator software will not recognize your entry.

Mandatory entry: Just leave a comment in this post.

Optional entries: Make sure to leave separate comments for each step you follow.

Remember to leave a separate comment for every step.

1. Subscribe to ZaikaZabardast so you do not miss a single post. (You don’t want to miss a post if you are the winner, do you? Go Subscribe!)
2. Follow me on Pinterest.
3. Like my Facebook page.
4. Follow me on Twitter.
5. Follow Wholly Guacamole on Twitter.
6. Folly Wholly Guacamole on Facebook.
7. Tweet about this giveaway saying: “I just entered to win  Free Wholly Guacamole products from ZaikaZabardast http://wp.me/pTI6E-t1@zaikazabardast @eatwholly” or something like that.

Other OPEN Giveaways to enter:

Beautiful Mexican Vanilla beans by Beanilla

A case full of Beautiful Lipman Tomatoes

Food Blogging for Dummies – A book giveaway

Amishi – Comment #7

Congratulations! Winner have 24 hours to get back to me. Or else I will have to pick another winner.

It’s a Giveaway time – AGAIN! Birthday celebration continues with my another promised giveaway! And this time, It is a box full of fresh, beautiful and carefully grown the famous Lipman tomatoes! Do I even need to mention that this giveaway is sponsored by Lipman tomatoes? Yup, it is. So generous. Thank you Lipman! I will get back to giveaway details in a while. At first let’s talk about what I made of these beautiful tomatoes!

Do you remember my post about Tiamo tarts that I made using Lipman tomatoes?  So this time I have made Thai tomato chutney using their gorgeous, delicious cherry tomatoes and used it on my all time favorite snack – Bruschetta.

Bruschetta! Pan fried baguette in EVOO/butter or both, rubbed with garlic and topped with the toppings you like…mmmm the best! There might be many ways to make bruschetta but I prefer pan-fried method over oven toasted. Have you seen this movie Julie and Julia? Oh, of course you did, if you love food. It is my all time favorite movie. If you remember in that movie, Julie replicates Julia’s recipe of bruschetta using pan-fried method and from that day I am a fan of making bruschetta this way.Yup, I noticed!

Pan frying makes a whole lotta difference in the world. Believe me! Do try it yourself.

Here’s how to make Pan fried bruschetta!

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette, sliced ½ – ¾ inch thick diagonally
• 3 Tbsp EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 3 Tbsp butter (Optional use EVOO instead)
• 3 big cloves of garlic, peeled
• ½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese (I used tiny mozzarella balls)
• 1 cup Thai tomato chutney (Recipe follows)

Method:

1. In a separate bowl, mix mozzarella cheese with Thai chutney and keep aside.
2. In a large non-stick pan/skillet, heat EVOO along with butter(if using or else more EVOO) and toast the bread slices on both sides, until you get nice golden color.
3. Remove the bread from the pan and immediately carefully rub the garlic clove over the hot bread. Use paper towel if required to hold the hot bread slice. This way hot bread will soak the garlic flavor in to it and gives it amazing flavor. Believe me, it really makes whole lotta difference.
4. Arrange bread slices in a serving platter and top each one with a chutney/cheese mixture. Garnish with few julienned basil leaves and enjoy!

Thai Chutney

This chutney is out of the world. Made with delicious Lipman cherry tomatoes and packed with refreshing Thai flavors. Bit tangy, bit sweet and bit spicy. All in one byte. It is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint Lipman Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp chopped Lemon grass
• ½ Tbsp Galangal/Ginger
• 2 Tbsp chopped Onion/Shallots
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped Thai Basil
• 1 tsp Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red crushed pepper to taste
• Zest of one lime
• 1 tsp Lime juice
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Brown sugar

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add lemon grass and galangal and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add chopped shallot/onion and garlic. Season with some salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add whole cherry tomatoes, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, soy sauce, lime juice and lime zest.
3. Mix, cover and cook for about 10–15 minutes or until thickened. You do not want too thick or too watery chutney. So cook accordingly. Stir in between.
4. Let it cool down a bit and grind in food processor. Just for few times. We want chunky chutney not puree.

Why the color is different? Because I tried making this chutney using Roma tomatoes. Result? Color is different but no compromise on taste! So make it with whatever you have available.

Now let’s talk about giveaway.

Lipman tomatoes is giving away One box full of different tomatoes that they grow in their field. Different verity includes their most famous Tiamos, cherry, Jewel, Roma and Heirloom tomatoes. I do not know exact quantity but it’s a lot that’s all I can say.

See what I am talking about?

Here’s how you can enter:

This giveaway is open for USA residents only.

This giveaway is open until Thursday (5/31/12) 11:59:59 pm (your time). I will pick one lucky winner on Friday (06/01/12).

Because of Memorial day long weekend holiday here in USA, I am extending the giveaway deadline for another week. Now the giveaway is open until Thursday (06/07/12) 11:59 pm (your time).  I will pick one lucky winner on Friday (06/08/12). 

The winner will have 24 hours to get back to me so make sure to leave a valid email address. Your information is confidential.

I will use the random number generator software to pick the winner. So if you choose to go for extra entries, make sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Otherwise the number generator software will not recognize your entry.

Mandatory entry: Just leave a comment in this post.

Optional entries: Make sure to leave separate comments for each step you follow.

Remember to leave a separate comment for every step.

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Somewhere around the first week of April, I was contacted by the Lipman Produce saying that “They loved my creation of ‘Balsamic roasted tomato-basil ice cream’ and they want me to create an original recipe using their flavorful tomatoes for their site. Of course I was doing a happy dance and I was like hmmmmm Sure, let’s do it! Lipman Produce has been a family owned and operated for more than 70 years. And they are known around the country for our intensely flavorful tomatoes. So when I agreed to develop a recipe for them, they sent me a box full of Lipman tomatoes in less than a week to experiment on. And I was actually surprised to see the varieties. Heirloom tomatoes, Jewel, Cherry, Grape, Roma, and the Tiamos! See the picture below?? 

But of the all my heart decided to go with the Tiamo. These tiny little golf sized tiamos are really really flavorful. Little bit tangy, bit sweet, crisp and so fresh! Chop the tiamos, drizzle some EVOO, and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper and you are good to go. Perfect bowl of salad is ready. Or you can even use it as your bruschetta topping. Either ways, it is great.

So, after brainstorming some ideas (lots of actually), I thought of caramelizing the Tiamos to bring out the flavors more and make a tart out of it. I tossed the Tiamos with little bit of sugar, salt, pepper, EVOO and also added some garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Roasted in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes and that’s it. Caramelizing method really rocked!

To finish the puff pastry tart along with the caramelized tiamos, I also added a layer of slightly roasted yellow onions on the bed of herbed ricotta cheese. The flavor combination absolutely works and makes every bite enjoyable. This tart is great when it is slightly warm but it is even better when at room temperature. Perfect for brunch/dinner or even for evening snack. Choice is yours.

Below are the recipes for how to make caramelized tomatoes and how to roast onions. For tart recipe please visit Lipman Kitchen!

Caramelized Tiamos (tomatoes):

Ingredients:

• 1 pint Lipman Tiamos – 1lb
• 3 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil (EVOO) to drizzle
• 3-4 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp freshly crushed mixed peppercorn or black pepper
• Salt  to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Cut Tiamos into half and place them on baking sheet. Drizzle EVOO and sprinkle salt, sugar and pepper. Also garnish each of them with garlic and thyme. OR In a large mixing bowl, toss Tiamos with EVOO and other spices along with garlic and thyme and place it on baking sheet. Do whatever is easier for you.

Let it caramelized for about 25-30 minutes. Keep your eye on it after 25 minutes. Do not let it burn. When it’s done,

Let it cool down on baking tray on kitchen countertop till you are ready with your tart. Or you can even make this a day or two ahead and store it in refrigerator in an air-tight container and use it when you are ready.

Slightly Roasted Onions:

• 2 medium-sized yellow onions
• EVOO to drizzle
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre- heat oven to 350 F. Thinly slice onions and toss them with EVOO, salt and pepper. Transfer them into oven proof baking dish and roast them for about 20 minutes. Make sure not to burn them. We want nice dark golden brown color.

Tip: To save time, you can caramelize tomatoes and roast onions at the same time. That’s what I did.

For Tart recipe, please visit Lipman Kitchen!

p.s. All the reviews are my own but the tomatoes were provided by Lipman!

You can even use grape or cherry tomatoes for this recipe.

Enjoy!

Today I am sharing my family recipe which has been passed to generations from my grandma to my mom, my aunts and so on – Eggplant raita/dip. I learnt it from one of my aunts who still makes the best of all. Every time when the family gets together at my grandma’s place for any type of celebration this condiment has to be there. The meal is incomplete without it.

This dip is also one of my favorite condiments that I enjoy with Indian food, vegetables or with grilled pita bread. It is very easy to make and it sure is crowd pleasing. So here’s what we need.

Yields: A big bowl I just can not make a small portion of this recipe, it is that GOOD

Ingredients:

• 1 large Eggplant or 4 small-sized eggplants
• 3 cups low-fat cold Greek yogurt
• 1-2 hot Green chilies (add more if you prefer hot)
• 4-5 big  Garlic cloves (you can even add more)
• 1 inch Ginger
• ½ cup Roasted Peanuts
• 2/3 tsp Dried Yellow Mustard
• Salt to taste
• A tsp or two of canola oil/olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Method:

• Apply some oil on eggplant and on a medium open flame roast till its skin is burnt and eggplant is soft. Make sure it gets roasted on every side. So keep changing sides. OR roast it in pre-heated oven at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes or until it is soft and roasted.

roasting eggplant - Photo from my mom's kitchen

• Once roasted, remove from flame/oven and let it cool down a bit before you peel off the burnt skin and remove the stem of the eggplant.
• In a mixing bowl mash the eggplant using fork and let it cool down completely.
• In a food processor add peanuts and process twice until it breaks down into tiny pieces. Remove it in a bowl of mashed eggplant and in a same food processor bowl finely process green chilies, garlic and ginger. Add it to the eggplant mixture along with 3 cups of Greek yogurt. Season with salt and mustard. Add chopped cilantro and mix well.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.  It tastes best when you allow the flavors to develop so if you have time let it sit in refrigerator for an hour or two. Once chilled give it a quick stir and garnish with some peanuts and chopped cilantro.
• Serve with whatever you like. It goes best with grilled pita, vegetables, steamed rice or anything. I can just eat a bowl full of it right away. It is that comfy!

So some information about the challenge and Dona Hay. Donna Hay is Australia’s leading food editor and best-selling cookbook author. You can read more about her here.

"This is what I had to replicate"

Simone of Junlefrog-cooking has been hosting this DHSP challenge where every month she provides a pictures from Donna Hays magazine and who ever wants to take part has to try to replicate the picture and then post it on their blog with all given credit.  The purpose of this challenge is to help others learn better food photography and styling.

And this challenge seemed to be pretty easy in the beginning but as soon I started the procedure, I realized it’s not that easy. But I managed it somehow. Although it is not looking any closer to the original picture but I tried.

"Not even close to the original"

It looks like I dumped a full bowl of peas salad on one tart..but I made a mistake and I am not ashamed of sharing it. I mean not even proud of it either. hehe

Recipe and Procedure:

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

From magazine: Donna Hay magazine

"Artichokes on puff pastry"

"After and before baking"

And about the tarts, they are DELICIOUS! Absolutely full of flavors and the magic ingredient in this is mint. So strongly recommended not to skip it. Also I used some substitutes like black balsamic vinegar instead of white and Extra virgin olive oil to brush up my pastries in place of egg. But I followed  the recipe as it is and I give it 5 starts. 

It is very quick to make but hard to shoot!!

Thank you guys and have a good weekend!