Two Kinds of Pizza: One Saintly and the other Naughty :Just a Teaser

If there is one food I can never resist , it is Pizza . Well ... come to think of it there can be quite a few others as well but don't even get me started in that direction. Right now we are talking about Pizzas and that's what we will do. I can eat all kinds of Pizzas. I can eat Pizza in the middle of the night, cold, out of the fridge .I love the normal fare from Dominos and Pizzahut definitely, but I also love the desi varieties of Pizzas that are on the menu at my local Pav-Bhaji  stall.  Boy!  Does the chef have an imagination or what!! He puts everything possible  on that little disc of Pizza Base. There's tomato puree of course, topped with a very spicy stir-fried mixture of  capsicum, onions sweetcorn , and green peas , and I suspect sometimes even cauliflower. Yesss , that's right cauliflower. But I am not complaining. The whole thing is topped with loads of Amul Cheese  and has a mind-blowing taste. I always order that for home delivery when I visit my mom. My dad and I enjoy it immensely. Infact my Dad very seriously said the last time we had one that he likes it much better than the Pizzahut one and ..... hold your breath....... even the one he ate in Italy. Yes , Italy .... the Mecca of Pizza. We had a good laugh over that . What can I say ?? To each his own.

So the kinds of Pizzas I normally tend to make at home are the two you see here. If I am in a very virtuous mood I make the one with a Wholewheat Pita Bread as the base with minimum cheese which I mix with veggies like mixed bell peppers, sweet-corn asaparagus, mushrooms and tomatoes and spiced with dried oregano, and basil. t tastes awesome no doubt , is extremely healthy and completely guilt-free.

ON THE OTHER HAND....... if I am not feeling so saintly ,and am in the mood for wicked food then it has to be the other one. It has a mini naan as a base , not many veggies , well actually only tomatoes and sweetcorn, but loads of cheese. Sometimes even a combination of Mozzarella and Cheddar. I also spike it with chilly flakes. Naan makes a fabulous base, it's  much tastier than the readymade plain pizza bases that are available in the stores. Best one to go for is the coriander and garlic. It's a whole load of white flour to consume that's why I use only the mini naans and not the big ones. If the Pizza is going to be shared then it's ok to use the larger Naans

So tell me! What's your favourite kind of Pizza?

Harry Potter and Yummy Rawa Idlis and Dhoklas

One weekend can be so different from another. Last weekend was simply horrible, we had a power failure for 20 hours , yes that's right 20 hours, my maid did not turn up for two consecutive days without any prior notice . Yes I have to admit , that in spite of having done all my washing up and laundry and vacuuming myself for last 6 years , I am now already used to the luxury of having a daily maid come in and do all that for me and although I don't have a major panic attack if she doesn't turn up I do get a bit irritated no doubt. And to top it all the hattrick was completed by no water supply. Aaghhhh !!! But I some how managed to keep my calm and keep things going.

But this weekend has been a delight so far. Saturday started late and that is very late. After a quick trip to my son's school to complete some scholarship formalities we had a leisurely brunch of idlis and dosas washed down with cups of hot filter coffee and aromatic ginger tea at a nearby restaurant. Afternoon was spent helping D with his homework and preparing a bit for his forthcoming unit test (surprisingly it went very well with D co-operating to the T). But the best bit came in the evening which we spent with Harry Potter. Reading this you might think that I am a big Harry Potter fan ,but believe me you couldn't be further from the truth. I am probably the biggest Harry Potter non-fan ever , so much so that I am always teasing hubby and son that I am going to start a Non Harry Potter fan club etc etc. So the funniest thing is I have not watched any of the Harry Potter movies nor have I read any of the books other than 1/2 of  the first one but today I watched the last one Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. That too in 3D in a cinema hall .Can you beat that?  And I quite enjoyed it. My friends laughed at me saying that I am probably the first person who has started enjoying Harry Potter in the reverse order. Come to think of it I am kind of toying with the idea of reading Harry Potter :)) Lets see how long my interest in HP lasts.

Anyway speaking of brunches and idlis reminds me that I too made some idlis last week. These were simple Rawa Idlis which I sometimes serve as Idlis and sometimes as Dhokla. They taste just as awesome either way.

When made as Idlis I just put a couple of vegetables like grated carrots and maybe peas in them and sometimes even cashews and as dhokla I just add loads of fresh coriander and green chillies. They are perfect to take on picnics or as a healthy afterschool snack. Here's how I make them:

Ingredients:

1 cup coarse Rawa (ordinary Semolina, not Idli rawa)

1 cup water

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup par boiled peas (or frozen ones which are already par boiled)

1/4 cup urid Dal  which have been soaked it water for 1/2 an hour (split black lentils)

handful of chopped cashews

2 green chillies very finely chopped

Some chopped coriander

1 tspn Eno Fruit Salt

1 tspn sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients keeping the soda-bi-carb for the last.

The mixture should have the same consistency as ordinary idli batter.

If you find it too thick just add some more water.

Give it a taste once you have mixed it and adjust the seasoning accordingly. 

It does not need any resting time.

Just leave it aside until you oil the Idli moulds and then you can immediately steam them.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or ketchup. 

On other occasions make the batter with finely chopped green chillies and plenty of fresh coriander and steam the batter as dhoklas like in the pic below

Serve the Dhoklas with the traditional tempering of hot oil , mustard, asafoetida and curry leaves. Put dollops of hot and sweet ketchup on top of each piece to make it pretty and also easy to eat.

Crispy Vegetarian Spring Rolls (A real Treat)

Let me begin this post by wishing all my Indian readers  A VERY HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY. I started the day by explaining to my eight year old (who has lived in UK since he was 2 ) why this day is celebrated in India as Independence Day and how we used to go to school  very early in the morning to hoist our tri-colour. Explaining it to him also made me remember things about our history  that I had not thought about for a long time, and that was good. We fnished our mother-son talk by me reading to him part of the book Great Freedom Fighters of India in the Amar Chitra Katha  Series.We read about Lokmanya Tilak and although he listened to it like any other story I enjoyed answering all his questions . It's a great series by Amar Chitra Katha which makes everything so enjoyable for a young children to read understand, rather than just read about history only from a textbook. I definitely recommend it.


 Secondly I would  like to say a big Thank-You to each and everyone of my reader who has visited by blog regularly inspite of my very irregular and sometimes none at all posting. You readers have been so good , not only visiting my blog but also dedicating posts to me and giving me credit for inspiring you to cook and think about cooking in a different light. Gosh thanks a ton for all that love and appreciation. It has also motivated me to take that effort again to start posting again.


So here's what I have today. It's the summer holidays going on currently in England and as I work in a school I too get to enjoy 6 weeks of summer holidays. I have recently come back from my holiday in Italy and now is the time to catch up with everything pending like deep cleaning the house, cooking something different other that the daily fare, spending time with my son watching DVDs together  and going out for a Pizza with him and of course catching up with friends and a bit of entertaining.


Last week I had a friend over for lunch and  I made these veg spring rolls which we all loved. Vegetarian because at present we are not eating any non-vegetarian food as it is the month of Shrawan which is a auspicious month in the Hindu calender. And although I am not a very staunchly religious person I do like to follow certain practices only because they teach you self control. Particularly in  the west where restaurant menus are  so dominated by chicken , pork and beef . (Although I draw the line at chicken and fish and would never ever dream of eating pork or beef. )  So no non-veg food for a month at least and for 4 months (the entire Chaturmaas  till after Diwali)  if I can manage it. Not so difficult is it? And the one ingredient I love and always rely on to  make my veg dishes perk up is Paneer.:)) Yes gorgeous , delicious, creamy full fat paneer. It never let's me down. That's what I used here too.


So what you need  for 16 to 18 spring rolls is:


Ready made store-bought spring roll wrappers (available in Indian or Chinese grocery stores)  OR  Sheets of Filo Pastry (available in all big food stores)
Note: If you do get the special spring roll wrapper they are already in the correct square shape and size, so that one wrapper makes one roll, but if you are using filo then you will need to cut out the sheets into approx 5" X 5"  squares. Also remember to keep the pastry or wrappers covered with a damp tea towel as they dry out very easily.


For the filling:
1 cup each of finely chopped or grated of the following veggies
carrots, beans, spring onions, cabbage ,coriander
1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels
1 cup of green peas
1 cup finely diced paneer,
1 cup boiled noodles (optional)
1/2 cup finely diced chestnut mushrooms (optional)
1 red chilly finely diced
1 tblspn chinese soy sauce
1 tblspn sweet chilly sauce
1 tblspn chinese five spice
1 tspn hot chilly powder
1 tspn of garlic paste, 1 tspn of ginger paste
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking


Method:
Heat 3 to 4 tblspns of oil in a wide pan or wok
Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry on low heat for few minutes
Add all the other veggies and mushrooms and stir them all frequently
Add the five spice, chilly powder, salt soy suace and sweet chilly and cover and cook until vegetables are cooked but still have a bite in them.
Lastly add the boiled noodles and paneer, give it all a good stir ,
Give it a taste and adjust all the seasoning according to your taste
Let this filling cool completely before you start making the rolls


Making the rolls:


Lay out a wrapper on dry surface with one corner towards you. Place a large tblspnful of filling near the corner .
Now roll that corner over the filling twice. Next fold inwards the the two side corners so your roll will be closed from the sides. Roll up the rest of the wrapper  up to the  corner away from you . Apply a bit of water to this corner so that it sticks firmly to the roll.
Do all the rolls in the same way. make these in advance at least a few hours before you want to fry them, so that they have a chance to seal well.
Fry in hot oil and drain over kitchen papers
Serve with sweet chilly sauce, schezuan sauce or any othet sauce of your choice.
Make loads of these if you are entertaining as it is very likely that they will be the star attraction particularly when your friend know that you made them at home:))

Golden Honey-n-Oat Bars

Stepping out of the house and working definitely has it's benefits. I mean we all know the most obvious ones like earning your own money, being independent , developing yourself as an individual in the outside world etc etc. But the one thing I am most enjoying is getting to know my colleagues at work. I am learning so much everyday from each person that I work with, not only about work but so many other things as well. So I was thrilled to know that my colleague /friend A loves to bake. 'A' always gets the most delicious baked goodies for us to enjoy. Sometimes it's a freshly baked seeded bread , sometimes  a cheesecake or then the most delicious cherry cake I have ever had. Last week it was these Honey and Oat Bars that she made for us and to top it she even had copies of the recipe for us to take home and try out. So Sweet!!

Now you know me. Whenever I fancy a recipe I just have to make it at once even if that means tweaking the original recipe a bit because I do not have all the necessary ingredients at home. So I made these bars at home over the weekend. They turned out good, although the ones 'A' made were a lot better. The original recipe calls for soft brown sugar, I did not have any at hand so I used ordinary white sugar, instead of self-raising flour I used all purpose plain flour with a tspn of baking powder sifted along with it, and thirdly I did not have margarine, so I replaced that with butter. RESULT: Great tasting bars , just not as nicely chewy as her's. Mine turned out a bit biscuity. But nevertheless half of them have already been polished off. My son came home complaining as to why I had given him only one bar in his lunch box, and hubby had 3 of them for dessert after dinner. So it's safe to assume that the Honey-n-Oat Bars are a hit.

I have for you here the absolute original recipe . I would urge you to stick to the brown sugar even though I did not. This recipe makes about 20 bars
So here goes:


Ingredients :
3 cups rolled oats
1.5 cups self-raising flour
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup soft brown sugar
2 tblspns honey
1 cup margarine


Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients well together
In a pan melt the butter and add the honey to it
Mix the margarine and honey mixture well with the dry ingredients
Press the mixture into a greased baking tray and bake at 170deg C / 325deg F for 25 mins or till golden brown
Cut into bars while still warm and leave to cool in tin.


These are great with a cup of tea, or with a glass of milk for kids after coming back from school. They are also an interesting  travel snack or a  a lunch box treat

Spicy Chicken Burgers (Simply delightful and very satisfying)

Hi everyone! I am so glad to be posting again. Last week was a good week food-wise . I tried out a few new recipes and they turned out pretty neat. One of them was this burger recipe that was a complete hit. Recently I have taken to watching re-runs of 30 Minute Meals by Rachel Ray and there is something about that show that really inspires me to just get up and spend time in the kitchen trying out recipes. It's probably Rachel enthusiasm on the show and the very homly no-fuss dinners that she makes that I find very appealing. So a few days back I saw her cook some burgers and cole slaw and I decided then that I wanted to cook burgers for dinner too. I already had chicken in the fridge. But I also wanted really spicy burgers.

So I surfed the net for some good burger recipes and was completely impressed by a recipe put up by Kevin on his blog Closet Cooking. Its a fab idea to use curry powder for burgers. My family just loved these burgers, so thanks Kevin for a great recipe.I tweaked it a bit here and there to suit my taste and it came out awesome.

What you need:

500 gms chicken mince (you could buy chicken breast and mince it in your processor)

4 spring onions finely chopped,

1 cup finely chopped coriander

1 tblspn minced ginger

1 tblspn minced garlic

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tspns lemon zest,

4 tspns hot curry powder,

2 tspns chilly powder,

2 to 3 tblspns tomato ketchup

salt to taste

To assemble the burger you need:

Burger Buns,

Mayonnaise,

Lettuce

Tomato slices

Cheese slices

Ketchup or Hot Jalapeno Relish

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients well , but do not overmix. Use a gentle hand. This prevents the chicken patties from drying out.

Shape them into equal sized patties shallow fry for 10 to 12 mins turning them once over half-way through.

Assemble the burgers as you like and enjoy with some oven chips and a glass of icy coke.

ENJOY!!!! I know we did

Coconut Strawberry Cupcakes

A  very BIG  HELLO to all of you after almost  a million years. Yes that's what it feels like to me today. Last post I put up was in October last year and after that I have kind of gone into a winter sleep where blogging is concerned. But that's only where blogging is concerned. A lots happened since then. The first break happened because my parents were here to visit us and ofcourse with them here obviously blogging was the last thing I could find time to do. They had a great stay and we did the touristy trips with them all over UK.


After they left I got a job. YES A JOB!!!! Isn't that great?  I now work in a Primary School as a Learning Support Assistant and I am happy with  my job. That's the second reason why I am not actively blogging. I am ofcourse cooking and entertaining but I now cook mostly in the evenings and my food pics taken in the evening are horrible. I have to also admit that many a times the food is eaten and polished off before I can photograph it. So no blog posts!


Then in Dec I went on my annual trip to India for 5 weeks. I spent the most fabulous 5 weeks there eating everything that I had missed in the last one and half year. It was  simply great being back in Pune and riding my Honda Activa and driving the Santro.  We had a blast and my son loved it. In his words "Aai INDIA ROCKS". What else did I need to hear.


But now I have been back since one month and things have fallen back into a routine with school and office and other activities and I am definitely back on the blogosphere.


A week back I baked these little cakes from a recipe from one of my most used books and that is The Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking by Tarla Dalal.  Now in the book these cakes are called Madeleines, but I prefer to call them just "little cakes" as traditionally a Madeleine is a  shell shaped cake eaten at tea time and which is baked in special shell shaped moulds, so for me these are just small cakes or cup cakes which have a delicious coating of strawberry jam and dessicated coconut. These cakes come out beautifully each and every time and no matter how many I make they are never enough.


Note: These cakes need to be ideally baked in individual cup cake moulds, but I do not have those and baked them in a muffin tray which worked just fine


I have followed the recipe from the book word to word, and here it is for you.


Ingredients:

• 115 gms sugar
• 115 gms butter
• 2 medium eggs
• 115 gms self-raising flour
• 1/2 tspn lemon or vanilla essence (I used vanilla)
• 1/2 tea cup milk approx
• red jam (I used strawberry jam)
• dessicated coconut

Method:

• Sieve the flour
• Cream the butter and sugar very well  until light and creamy
• Beat the eggs well
• Add a little of the egg mixture to the butter and sugar and beat well. Gradually go on adding eggs beating well  all the time. If the mixture curdles, add a little flour ,mix well and then continue adding the eggs.
• Add the sieved flour and enough milk till the batter has a dropping consistency.
• Add the essence.
• Grease and dust your muffin tray or the cake moulds and fill upto 3/4 with the cake mixture.
• Bake at 400 deg F for around 20 mins.
• Cool the cakes
• Warm the jam and brush the cakes  with the melted jam.
• Roll the cakes in dessicated  coconut.

The cakes are now ready to eat. Try these they are simple to make and taste awesome

Kutcchi Dabeli

You all probably know from many of my previous posts that we friends have regular tea get-togethers on Fridays. It gives the kids a chance to have a great time on the last day of the school week and it gives us ladies an excuse to meet and chat and eat tasty snacks. Well this week it was my turn and my choice of snack was this ever -popular Kutcchi Dabeli. For those of you who aren't familiar with Kutcchi Dabeli ,it is a Gujarati snack ,it's name being derived from the place Kutch in Gujarat. But it is a very very popular street food in Maharashtra and is probably just one place below Vada-Pav which tops the best-seller list of street-food.

Very surprisingly though I never ate Kutcchi Dabeli when I was in college. Never even once. I ate it the first time here in England when a friend made it . I just loved it and have ever since wondered why I never ate it earlier. I mean if it tastes so good at home it must be great when eaten on the road-side, right?? Well I definitely will find out the next time I am in Pune ,which unfortunately is not so soon. So till then I will keep making it at home.

Now Kutcchi Dabeli needs a special Masala /Spice Mix which is easily available back home, but not here in UK. The most popular brand is Siddhi Masala , so I had my sister bring me a few packs of that when she last visited. But it can be substituted with cumin-coriander powder and garam masala which is also a blend of the same spices just probably in different proportions.
So now on to the actual process :

Ingredients for approx 12 Dabelis:
12 soft rolls /buns
1 kg potatoes boiled ,peeled and mashed,
1 pack of Dabeli Masala (100 gms) OR
2 tblspns each of coriander and cumin powder, 2 tblspns of garam masala, 1 tblspn of chilly powder,
Salt to taste (you don't need any salt if you are using the dabeli masala . It has everything in it.)
Date and Tamarind Chutney,
Red chilly and garlic chutney (blend red chillies, garlic salt and sugar together in a blender with a little water)

For the garnish:
Seeds of one or two pomegranate,
Sev,
2 finely chopped onion,
Salted/spicy peanuts
Finely chopped coriander

Method:

• Boil and mash the potatoes and keep aside,
• In a pan heat 4 to 5 tbslpns of oil , add to that the mashed potatoes and all of the 100 gms of dabeli masala or the alternative spice powders with the salt. (Remember no salt if using the Dabeli Masala) and mix it all well. Your filling is ready.
• Spread out this filling evenly on to a large plate and garnish generously with all the garnishings as you see in the pic. It looks very pretty.

To serve:

Split a bun in half and spoon both the chutneys in it first, then put about 2 tblspnfuls of potato filling on top .

• Put some more salted nuts and sev if you wish.
• Top again with date and tamarind chutney and close with the top part of the bun.
• Butter the bun on both sides and brown it nicely on a tawa/flat pan.
• Serve hot

Very wholesome Chapati and Egg Rolls

Come summer and my mind goes into the "Quick Recipes Mode" or the QRM as I like to call it. I mean it's simpy impossible to toil over the hob for hours at a stretch to cook elaborate meals . And the weather in UK being so kind for once , you just have to make the most of it and spend time outdoors as much as possible rather than in the kitchen.

So currently I am constantly on the look out for recipes requiring minimum time but with no compromise on taste and full flavour. As you must have derived by now from my previous posts I fancy all kings of wraps. I just love making wraps. They are quick and easy to make , delicious and a single wrap can hold the nutrition of an entire balanced meal. And most important of all is that in my family all three of us like them just as much. So everybody is happy.

Yesterday I made these chapati and egg wraps for my lunch and they tasted so good I just have to share them with all of you.

What you need is:

• 2 chapatis (homemade or readymade store bought)
• 2 eggs
• 1 spring onion finely chopped,
• 1/2 cup fresh sweet corn kernels,
• 2 mushrooms finely chopped (I used chestnut mushrooms),
• 1 tblspn grated cheese,
• salt and pepper to season (you can replace pepper with chilly powder too),
• Oil to cook
  
  Method:
  In a pan heat the oil and gently saute the spring onions , mushrooms and corn for a few minutes.


• Crack the 2 eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly.


• To the eggs add the sauteed spring onions ,mushrooms and corn.


• Add the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.


• Beat the mixture gently together and make 2 omelettes .


• After the omelettes have cooled a bit lay out one omelette on each chapati , dot it with your favourite sauce, and roll up tightly.


• Cut each roll diagonally into two pieces .
  
  Your lunch is ready. These are awesome also in a lunch box or to carry on a picnic. Enjoy with a salad accompaniment or a glass of juice.

Yummilicious Paratha Frankies

Hi everybody! I am back after my long break again. These long breaks are becoming an annoying habit you might say , but it is one that I definitely intend to break very soon. Anyway, how have you guys been? I have missed you all too. What I have for you today is something I thought of today morning at 5.00 o'clock when I was disturbed out of my sleep and just could not go back to sleep again. And our mind you know has this annoying habit of immediately kicking into action with all kinds of thoughts rushing in which makes it even more difficult to sleep.

So my mind turned to the most nagging of thoughts and that was what to pack in the lunch boxes. Fortunately there was paratha dough already ready in the fridge, but as that was what we had had for dinner there was no way I could repeat the same in the lunch boxes . Well not as an ordinary paratha anyway. But then I remembered the block of paneer in the fridge and the mixed frozen veggies in the freezer and I had my lunch boxes all planned in minutes.

So I made paratha frankies . They are tasty, wholesome ,convenient to carry and a great change from regular chapatis and vegetables or sandwiches. So much so that my husband called up from office to say that he had enjoyed his lunch. Great!!!

So to make the parathas you need:

2 cups wheat flour, 3 cups of finely chopped spinach, 1 cup finely chopped carrots, 2 tspn ginger garlic paste, 2tspn chilly powder, 1 tspn turmeric powder, 1tspn each of cumin and coriander powder, 1 tspn of ground saunf, 1.5 tspn sugar, salt to taste, 2 tblspns oil .

Knead all the above into a medium soft dough and and cook the parathas a little thinner and larger than a roti.

For the filling you will need:

1 onion, 1 and a half tomato, 1 tspn ginger garlic paste, 2 cups mixed vegetables chopped finely (I had the frozen mix which contains peas ,corn,beans and carrots), 200 gms paneer, 2 tblspns tomato ketchup, 2 tspn pav bhaji masala, 2 tspn cumin seeds, 2 tspn chilly powder, 1/2 tspn turmeric powder, salt to taste, and oil for cooking.

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
• After a few seconds add the chopped onion and ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute
• Next add the chopped tomato and let this cook for at least 2 to 3 mins
• Now come the chilly powder, turmeric , and pav bhaji masala along with the vegetables. Let the vegetables cook on a low flame. When they are cooked add the salt and ketchup.
• At the last stage add the paneer which does not need any cooking . Mix it all gently together until the paneer is coated with the spices.
• Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly .

To serve take a paratha and spoon about 2 tblspns of filling on it and roll tightly. To put in a lunch box wrap the roll in foil so that the filling does not fall out while eating.

Enjoy!!!

Delicious Chicken Wraps (Like they say"No one can eat just one")

I am a cook of varying moods. I guess we all are to some extent. What I cook each day is to some extent ruled by my mood on that particular day. Many people get the impression that because I run a food blog I am completely besotted by cooking and the kitchen. But that's not always true.
I have also read and heard people say that cooking is relaxing. Not for me. It can be very exhausting at times .I feel cooking can be relaxing only if you do it once in a while. It also depends on where you are when you are cooking. For eg: cooking in the UK where the weather is mostly cool is OK. It does not make you all hot and flushed. But I have also cooked in Pune and Mumbai where the temperatures are soaring quite often and cooking is the last thing you want to do in such weather . And that too Indian cooking which has you standing at the hob for at least an hour doing all the stirring and frying and rolling out piles and piles of chapatis. Not a thing I relish always.

So when I have one "I don't want to cooking moods" what do I do? Well , the answer to that is not always easy. Sometimes I have to go through the entire rigmarole because that's the healthiest option for everyone in the family. But not to worry , there are other healthy options as well . And this dish today always comes up trumps with my family. There is minimum fuss with maximum taste and you don't even have to switch on the gas if you have shop bought cooked chicken.

What you need is:
For 4 people:
8 tortilla wraps (I buy "wheat and white")
approx 3 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
hummous
mayonnaise
3 grated carrots
lots of fresh crisp lettuce
hot peri peri sauce (or any other hot sauce)
grated cheddar cheese

Method:
First spread generous amounts of hummous on a wrap
Next spread the shredded chicken,
Top this with grated carrot and crispy lettuce
Dot it with hot peri peri sauce and sprinkle the grated cheddar last
Roll up the tortilla tightly and cut into 3 or 4 pieces to make it easier to eat.

There you have a healthy and hearty meal ready without having to toil over the cooker hob for hours. If you wish have your favourite soup along with it (that too a canned one ) to make the meal even more filling. You can replace the chicken with canned tuna or mackerel and vegetarians can replace the chicken with paneer.

Enjoy

Fritatta

Fritatta is something I have always been fascinated with but never cooked. For that matter until a few days back I had not even tasted a fritatta. But somehow it just always managed to catch my attention from pictures in food magazines and food blogs and of course food shows on TV. On one of my shopping trips I even bought a oven proof pan particularly with the intention of making a fritatta. I just loved the idea of eating a big fat omellete filled with all kinds of delicious veggies, cheeses and mushrooms.

Well last week I was at the surgery (that's what a doctor's dispensary is called in UK) to see my GP . ( Reason for which was I had a nasty fall 2 weeks back and have been making quite a few trips to the doctor's for treatment on my leg which I hurt very badly.) So while I was sitting in the waiting area for my name to appear on the electronic display I was browsing through a magazine and once again my attention was drawn to a very yummy pic of fritatta. I memorised the ingredients and the method of cooking and decided there and then that I would make a fritatta before the end of the week and I did.

What's the verdict? Well all three of us loved it. Infact each of us could have done with one more helping but there wasn't any left. It was delicious , very filling and very easy and quick to make. Despite having bought a pan specially for that purpose I ended up using a oven proof Pyrex glass dish because as it turns out the pan is not big enough to cook a fritatta for three people. So what do i do with that pan now? Ohh I am sure I will find some use for it.

The ingredients for a Fritatta for 4 people are:

6 eggs

6/7 chestnut mushrooms (or any other)

1/2 a bellpepper (any colour of your choice)

approx 7 tblpns of grated cheddar

1 cup of finely chopped spinach,

8 to 10 leaves of fresh basil (chop these just before adding to the eggs)

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 200 deg C

In a bowl break the eggs and add all the other ingredients to it. From the cheese add only half of it and keep the rest for spreading on top. Season well with salt and pepper

Grease a oven proof glass dish and pour the mixture into it. Place in hot oven. It takes about 20 minutes to cook . After 20 minutes (or when the fritatta has begun to set) open the oven door, partially slide out the dish and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Return the dish to the oven and cook further until the cheese melts and turns slightly golden.

Let it cool slightly before cutting it into triangular wedges. This dish can be eaten at breakfast, lunch or supper. It can even be carried on a picnic.

Try it ! You will love it!

Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls : My Contribution to the Picnic Hamper and Fun in the Sun: Grand Round-up

Hi all ! We are finally at our Picnic Spot. It could be anywhere .A nice sandy beach, a beautiful park or just a fresh green stretch near your house. Just take your pick. As long as the sun is shining ,butterflies are fluttering around and the bees are buzzing we are a happy lot. So are you ready for the Grand Picnic Spread we have all contributed to? Yessss!!! Then come along for our FUN IN THE SUN .

This was my first attempt at hosting an event and I had nightmares about not getting any entries at all. But I got 23 grand entries and believe me I am a happy girl. Thank you all you dear people who took the interest and effort for me. This is immense encouragement for me to host further events. Without making you wait any longer lets open our hamper with:

Rahin's Walnut Cookies

Rahin says: If you have never made these cookies , I highly recommend trying out this recipe at least once. The whole process is so simple, and the aroma when these are baked is soooooo good ....you must try it to believe it.

I say: Rahin has a delicious blog going with a equally delicious name Lazzat.
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Praveena's Murukku

Praveena says: Murukku / Chakli is a savoury snack, popular in southern part of India. With a cup of tea, i munched on some of the murukku that my friend prepared and got the see how this snack is prepared.

I say: Praveena's blog Simply Spicy is steeped in tradition with some authentic recipes from Kerala. This lady loves spicy currys that's for sure.

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Nupur's Eggplant Caponata Sandwich

Nupur says: Caponata is wonderful at room temperature, making it perfect picnic food. It also tastes better if made a day before serving.

I say: Nupur's Blog One Hot Stove is just like it's name suggests One Hot Blog. It is a treasure trove for us foodies. It's immensely informative, well researched and beautifully presented. Need I say more?

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Elle-n-Chikki's Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal

Elle Chikki says:The first thing that comes to mind when I hear "Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal" (Coconut Raw-mango Green-peas sundal) is the Marina Beach.

I say: Elle- n- Chikki's blog "
Lemon and Chillies is a great effort of two friends in putting their culinary skills to the test and sharing their experiences with us. Just look at that pic. Doesn't it make your mouth water?

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Jyothi's Tortilla Pizza

Jyothi says: This is a mexican snack, and it tastes awesome. You can pack it easily for any picnic and also can serve it as a weekend snack. For this, we can use seasonal vegetables and some Indian flavours.

I say: Jyothi's blog World Wide Cooking has some fantastic cookery videos. I loved watching them. I think that's a fab idea Jyothi .

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Ketki's Veg Pears

Ketki says: The weather outside is Picnic Perfect and my mind is bursting with ideas of interesting eats that can be loaded in my picnic basket.This recipe is called 'Veg Pears'. It is comfortable finger food. No fuss.Tasty and Traditional.

I say: Ketki's blog My Two Cents is a very young blog which is just 2 months old. Ketki loves to talk about and share with us everything that really matters to her.

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Hima's Banana Nut Cup Cakes

Hima says: I am fond of muffins. Every now and then I try to make atleast half a dozen muffins and store in a box. Well, I called these as cup cakes because I followed the recipe for cake. I was very much pleased with the way they turned out, very moist and melting in the mouth. Simply Great.

I say: Hima's blog Snackorama is the blog to visit if you are searching for some great low fat muffins. She is a girl after my heart as I am a Muffin Maniac myself. Though my mania is more for eating them rather than making them. So keep the oven switched ON Hima and you know where to find a taster if ever you need one.

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Nag's Rich Dark Chocolate Cake

Nags says: I am a self-confessed chocolate addict. This cake is rich, dark and absolutely yummy. My mom makes it whenever she gets the chance and is in the mood.

I say: Nags 's blog For The Cook In Me is quite a delicious mix bag. Her recipes are quick and uncomplicated with some very interesting dishes from Kerala.

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Jyothi's Eggrolls

Jyothi says: These eggrolls are very simple to make and very good picnic food. They keep well and are easy to carry too.

I say: Jyothi's Andhra Spicy has a fantastic collection of not only Andhraite recipes but also some very good Chinese and Mexican recipes.

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Dhana's Mango Panha

Dhana says: My mango panha is a tribute to India's meteoric rise as well as the actual meteoric temperatures we are experiencing this summer. Its a refreshing drink to a refreshing start of the next set of glorious years for India!!

I say: Dhana's blog Fresh Kitchen (I just love this name) is one year old and her inspiration to blog came from her move into a new house with a gorgeous kitchen. Oh to have a kitchen that inspires you to cook lovely fresh food. What more could a food blogger ask for? Right Dhana?

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Manasi's Cabbage Rolls and Salsa

Sabudana Wada

Manasi says: These rolls which are not only healthy and filling, but look great on a platter too!! So whether its picnic or you have invited guests for snacks, this one will surely be a hit!

I say: Manasi's Fun and Food is a multi-faceted blog from Silicon Valley . She has come up with not one but 3 yummy recipes

Cabbage Rolls and Salsa Recipe,

Sabudana Vadas ,

Bread Rolls

Fun and Food traverses reading,writing cooking travelling,singing and gardening . Manasi also hosts Cool Ideas and Gadgets .

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Zlamushka's Same Hummus Different Flavours

Zlamushka says: I love spreads! As simple as that, I decided to make hummus today. It is real hot, so cooked hot food is out of question. Plus, it is not a dumb idea to make a kilo of it to enjoy as the days go by.

I say: In Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen her primary focus is on condiments .Pastes, Curries, Dips, Marinades, Pickles, Glazes and Sauces are what interest her the most. Having said that I think her blog is a mind-blowing fusion of Oriental, Indian and Western tastes.

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Aarti's Spiced Mamra

Aarti says: This is obviously a snack to be enjoyed during the journey, as a timepass snack, not as lunch since its not filling.. A snack that will be loved by all and will be finished off in minutes.. Thats too with minimul fuss and no fear of spoiling.

I say:Aarti's Corner is a yummy blog with loads and loads of authentic Maharashtrian specialities. I suspect Aarti also has a major sweet tooth as she has some of the most gorgeous sweet treats beautifully presented.

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Veggie Burgers by Priya

Priya says: This was the perfect bite of burger I have had in a very long time. Since I made the patty to suit my taste the final burger was just fabulous ....

What do I say about Priya's Akshayapaatram, a blog that is already so popular . A delicious vegetarian blog with a wide wide variety of cuisines and some stunning photographs.

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Masala Buns by Raaga

Raaga says: Since these buns are a meal in themselves, and they are non messy, they are very good companions for the lunchbox and definitely make for good company while on a picnic .

Raaga is The Singing Chef . Her blog reflects every bit of the enthusiasm that she puts in her cooking. She says "Experimenting is the name of the game for her" . Well keep up the experimenting Raaga as we are definitely benefitting from it. The cheerful mood of her blog starts right from her own smiley photo on her homepage.

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Potato Salad by Rajitha

Rajitha says: "I love Potatoes and I feel that they are given a bad rap and termed as unhealthy and bad for you. In my opinion, the way it is cooked makes a difference on it being healthy and a good source of carb or a phenominal source of fat . This potato salad though American in name is full of Mediterranean flavors. I love Mediterranean food esp. middle eastern food and I think this salad really packs in a punch for me."

I say: Rajitha's Hungerpangs is a relatively new blog on the blogosphere but her talent and creativity really come through. She has some very good quick-to-cook recipes accompanied by great pics.

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Priyanka's Hamper of a variety of Muffins

Priyanka says:These muffins are my first try at baking and i am happy to report that they came out pretty well. And the best part about them: they are eggless .

I say: Priyanka has the double advantage of firstly being a Maharashtrian and secondly being influenced by Gujarathi cuisine. Believe me these two regions have 2 of the best and most well-balanced cuisines in India so you can imagine the explosion of flavours when they come together. So Priyanka calling her blog Lajawab is most apt.

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Latha's Chocolate chip Cookies

Latha of The Yum Blog says: I have been baking these cookies or ghee biscuits alteast once a month for the past 25 years. Over the years many people have enjoyed these cookies that I bake. But the recipe received its ultimate seal of validation when Sunil, a chef at Taj and Anupama, his wife a professor in a Hotel management school said that my cookies are the best they have ever tasted. :DYay!!!

Delicious Soft Idlis with Mulagai Podi also from Latha
Latha would also like to share with us some delicious soft Idlis with Mulagai Podi .

Latha has some old rare recipes of mom and grand mom, which she wants to preserve for future generations through her blog. The food community definitely needs more veterans like you Latha to keep those traditional recipes fresh in our minds.

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Viji's Picnic Special Wheat Biscuits

Viji from the Yum Blog has brought her Picnic Special Wheat Biscuits.

She says: The kids especially love these sweet creations.

I say: Viji dear ,where picnics are concerned I turn into a kid myself. So don't be surprised if the biscuits disappear too soon.

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Aloo Patties from Anupama of What's Cooking

Anupama from What's Cooking brings yummy Aloo Patties for our Picnic
Anu is a working mom and has recently started blogging. She likes fast to cook ,easy and healthy recipes.

I say:All the best and welcome to food blogging Anu!

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And finally here's what I have brought along . Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls. I made them for the first time speciallly for our picnic and I hope you all enjoy them. It's again a hit recipe from Tarla Dalal's Collection.

These rolls make a complete meal by themselves. The recipe recommended wholewheat flour for the chapatis but I was in an indulgent mood and used plain flout instead. I also increased the amount of chilly powder and such snacks do taste better when made a little spicier than normal. Cooking Time : 20 mins.Preparation Time : 15 mins.Makes 9 rolls.

For the paneer tikka filling:

1 cup paneer cubed

½ cup tomatoes, deseeded and diced

½ cup capsicum diced

1 teaspoon oil

To be mixed into a marinade:

1/4 cup curds beaten

2.5 teaspoon chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon ginger paste

¼ teaspoon garlic paste

¼ teaspoon chickpea flour

½ teaspoon chaat masala

½ teaspoon kasuri methi

½ teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

For the chapatis:

1 cup plain flour

Just enough milk to make a soft dough

Salt to taste

For the paneer tikka filling:

1.Add the paneer and tomatoes to the prepared marinade and toss lightly.

2.Leave aside for 10 minutes.

3.Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes.

4.Add the paneer mixture and sauté over a high flame for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the chapatis:

1.Combine all the ingredients and knead into a soft dough.

2.Divide the dough into 9 equal portions.

3.Roll out each portion into a thin chapati.

4.Cook each chapati on a tava (griddle) on both sides. Keep aside.

How to proceed:

1.Divide the paneer tikka filling into 9 equal portions.

2.Spread one portion of the filling in the centre of each chapati and roll up tightly.

3. If eating at home , cook the rolls on a hot tava (griddle). But for a picnic do not cook as they will get chewy by the time you eat them. So cold rolls are just fine for outdoors. Enjoy !!!

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Two more very good recipes for our picnic are :

1. Crispy Bread Rolls: These I have already blogged about but they are so tasty that everytime I make them at home I wish I could blog about them again. So do take a look. I know you wil love them.

2. Mini Cappucino Muffins: I told you I am somewhat of a muffin maniac too . So I had to include these.
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Hope you enjoyed reading the Round-up as much as I enjoyed doing it.