Rasaswad

I've been drinking hot chocolate from packets at work occasionally, and every time I read the ingredient list, it makes me cringe. So here's a better version. It's really not that much work... 2 cups nonfat carnation dry milk (doesn't have to be non-fat) + 1 cup sugar + 1 cup ghirardeli double chocolate mix (yes, it's not pure coco, but does have a much shorter and innocent ingredient list). Mix and keep in a container. Take about a quarter cup in a mug + hot water = afternoon survival.

I signed up for the Thursday tea at the lab, and people loved the spread. I hardly put in any effort, and wasn't particularly impressed myself...but it worked out well. Here are some recipes I used: Cheesecake Brownies : I didn't use the chocolate chips, and used Ghirardeli semisweet chocolate. David Lebovitz's Cheesecake brownies (copied from his blog ...copy right belongs to him.) Cheesecake Brownies One 9-inch (23cm) or 8-inch (20cm) square pan Adapted from Ready for Dessert (Ten Speed) For those of you who like higher brownies, use an 8-inch pan. 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces 4 ounces (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 2/3 cup (130g) sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup (70g) flour 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips 8 ounces (200g) cream cheese, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk 5 tablespoons (75g) sugar 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. Line...

I don't remember the proportion...but usually get it right... Old fashioned rolled oats + vegetable oil + honey + salt + brown sugar + cinnamon + chopped almonds + vanilla. Mix everything, spread in a tray and bake in a 300 degree oven and bake till brown on the edges. (mix a few times in between). Cool. Should become crunchy.

I made this the day mom was leaving for India. She was feeling a little uneasy and didn't feel like eating. One taste of this, and she asked for more. That must mean something... 1/3 cup white quinoa. Rinse it well. Add 2/3 cup water, add salt and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 mins or so, cover and let simmer till cooked (about 10 mins). You will see small sprout like stuff coming out from the seeds. Let cool. Chop asparagus (or any other veggies) into big bite sized pieces and saute in some olive oil with salt and pepper. When it's almost done, add some sliced almonds, so they get toasted a bit too. Finally add some dried cranberries to the mixture and add it all to the quinoa (many variations possible here). Now add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, a big squeeze of honey, and a tiny bit of olive oil and mix. Add chunks of goat cheese and serve at room temperature or cold.

Filling: Two bags of spinach, cleaned, blanched, finely chopped. Heat olive oil, add chopped red onion (half medium is enough), 1 clove of garlic, a big pinch of dry thyme, a palm full of dried oregano, some red chilli flakes, salt, pepper. Let cool. Add about a cup of ricotta, about a cup of feta, mix well and set aside. Thaw filo in the fridge overnight. Melt butter and mix some olive oil with it. now brush the bottom of the pan, add one layer, brush with butter, keep adding layers (around 8-10 layers). Spread the filling. Repeat 8-10 layers again. Brush with butter, score the top with a knife (to make slicing later easier) and bake in a 375 over for about 45-50 mins. Serve warm. Slight variation on the filling: olive oil + chopped garlic + red chilli flakes + dried oregano + chopped onion + chopped green onion + baby spinach + chopped parsley + salt + pepper. Let the spinach cook, and then let the mixture cool. Now press with hands to remove liquid, and chop it on the chopping bo...

I think I read a similar recipe in NYTimes. Here's what I did. Grind corn (I used one big fresh one and a big handful of frozen one) into fairly fine paste. Heat oil, add some cumin seeds + a big pinch of Hing. Add the corn paste, ground ginger + green chilli paste, salt and keep stirring till a thick paste is formed. Add some sugar (this is optional). Add a handful of finely chopped fresh baby methi, a little chopped cilantro, and keep stirring some more till methi cooks (doesn't take too long). Add fresh bread crumbs (I used crumbs of one side bread slice). Stir a little more and then let it cool. Form into patties and fry with tiny bit of oil. Serve with chutneys.