Sandizza.

Now this one I call it my very own.
Sandizza.

Its a cross between a sandwich and a Pizza. It makes for a very tasty and easy to make snack.
Considering using brown bread  and whole grain bread to make it healthy.
You take a few slices of bread. Lightly toast them on a toaster or if you are using a TAWA (Indian style) like I prefer.then lightly roast the bread to make it slightly dry.

Apply a really thin layer of butter, a nice layer of Pizza and pasta sauce (you could use any other sauce,
sprinkle grated cheese over it. Add olives, sun dried tomatoes, slices of eggplant (brinjal), boiled baby corn, corn, pineapple pieces, basically add your favorite toppings. ( As I write I'm wondering how a few boiled beans might taste).
Cooking : If on the tawa with a little butter beneath the slices, if in a flat toaster just glide them in, if in a microwave simply cook for a minute or till the cheese melts.
Sprinkle oregano flakes, or garlic flakes to add the Pizza flavor.
Cut the bread slices into small squares, or triangular..rectangular..any ways its going to taste amazing.

Now place these bread slices . Serve warm with tomato sauce and some drink.

Nameesh. Cream with air bubbles.

This is not for calories counters. Its sinfully heavy and oh so cool and yummy.
A little story around Nameesh, it is best described as melts-in-your-mouth-stand-alone dream-dessert.
It is not had after any meal..it's too coquettish for that. It's had in the chilly mornings..if it gets warm the bubbles don't stay.
Hyderabad weather is hot, hotter or warm. So winter time is a treat of sorts. It lasts for a few days only. As everything we enjoy the winter dishes. And yes another important ingredient is a huge family. Some dishes are not complete with out your crowd and the wait-for-your-turn and discuss the same points about the dish each year.
Each time the elders recollect how they did the nameesh session.
"It was all in a mud pot you know..and we never had this hand blenders..our hands would ache with the rawai..(stick hand blender)."
I told this often heard statement to my kids too!! :-)
There was always the same volunteer each year who took great pleasure in churning the nameesh just right. They believed no on else could do better. They knew the mighty trick.
Its would be sticky and messy with the drops of milk falling around for which not one cared. All were too enamored with there bowl of Nameesh and wait for the next round.
And then there were the ones who claimed to have eaten the most number of bowls..they would actually keep count. I always knew that they were exaggerating..secretly they would too. The mothers doted on these eaters.
The discussions went on during the day..when there was no TV there was plenty of time for idle discussion's on almost anything.

ok..ok now the recipe.
You get the high fat milk ( a (1)litre for starters), a night before.
Bring the milk bring to a boil.
Add fresh saffron and powdered elaichi.
Remove the elaichi cover it spoils the softness of nameesh in the mouth..it has to melt in the mouth remember?
Add sugar as per your taste. I added Misri it was really good.
Do not cover with a lid to allow the malai to form.
Keep this outside in the cold. The morning (oas) dew falls on the milk. This gives the taste. You got to guard this well from the cats. We have lots of them here.
The milk has to be covered with a very fine muslin cloth to allow the dew in.
Churn this milk allow the bubbles to form well and with a sieve like spoon carry these bubbles into smaller bowls. Thats it.
It's ready to eat. :-)
Yes, you eat these bubbles. Its amazing. You keep churning till the cream doesn't show up anymore.
Its like making butter but you take the cream off with they bubble up. The left over milk is slim milk now, so any calorie counters can enjoy this.
They will never know Nameesh. :-)

P.S. Nameesh is had early in the morning. The bubbles don't stay in warm weather.

Nameesh at our place this morning.

Vegetarian Haleem.

My mother in law taught me this recipe my mother taught me the art of garnishing each dish.

I have made this till I perfected it (I so like to think that) ..and tried it on many a serious taste budders who have tasted the REAL Haleem and got some fantastic fantastic feed back..that is the motivation to write this after years.. :-)

Haleem actually is made during the month of Ramazan in Hyderabad. The enterprising Hyderabadi's have now taken it to many cities.

The best one is at Pista House in Hyderabad. Vishal would get it every day of the Ramazan and it became a ritual to have it with Dinner.

I turned complete vegetarian and missed this amazing dish. My competent MIL has taught me to make vegeterian Haleem. 

Here is the Recipe. I am not able to write it like the usual recipes so read the whole recipe before you start to cook. Even the measures are given in such a way that you can decide the quantity with reference to the measure of wheat. You could choose the quantity you need. 

• Take a 1 portion of Whole Wheat , grind it real coarse.
• Take a 1/4 portion of the (wheat measure) of  Channa daal, Udad Daal and Moong daal.
• Pressure cook the Wheat 2 whistles and low flame for 10 mins.
• Pressure cook the daal's separately 2 whistles. (Don't ask if u need to wash them...pl.)

Now the bhagaar.

In 2 table spoon of oil fry 1 onion finely sliced to brown and keep aside.

Now in the same remaining oil put zeera, etc and 3 grated onions. (Grated pl. avoid pureeing the onions in the mixer, it takes more oil and gas and alters the taste, bad idea.)

Add ginger garlic paste a whole table spoon. Its great if this is fresh..else don't fret.

Add chilli powder (go by your taste). haldi and half litre of fresh curds.
Add dhaniya powder, zeera powder, and garam masala as per your taste.
(You could even use ready Biriyani Masala powder, Meat Masala Powder, Pulav masala or such ready masala).

Do not cook the curds...just mix all this well and now add the wheat and the cooked daals together and cook well in a big vessel...for 10 minutes.

Now add the salt. (You need to add salt after the mix is cooked well.)

Garnishing.

In a separate vessel..which will be used for serving put a teaspoon of ghee and dhaniya leaves and pour the mixture on top of it.

Garnish with fresh dhaniya leaves, fried onions, pepper powder, and a dash of lime squeezed on top of the mix.

Serve hot with fresh green chillies , fresh curd or dahi ki kadi.

Its a whole meal and the longer it stays the more tasty it gets.
(reasonable time).  
While you re-heat add water as needed as the wheat keeps making it hard.
You could add soya granules, cooked Rajma beans too though in small measure.

I must have ommitted some vital stuff..please ask here will surely respond..and if you make it then.. you get you a prize.

Grapes chutney(U chachi)

Since i call both my mom's chachi..U chachi is my mother in law.Being in a huge family of 7 I rarely got a chance too cook..not that I had any enthu.or inclination..but cooking was is still not my scene.I am hoping to get interested for kids sake in cooking!!.
So I learnt most of the nuances of cooking and still am from my mother in law.She is the only one who even has a few good words about my culinary skills and so are tanvi's friends.There starts and ends my fan club.

U chachi has amzed me and continues to amaze me with her cooking.Today she made Grape chutney.Mooli and Matar in tomato gravy.It was too good.
Will get the recipe tommorrow.

Whole meals.

Rasam,Sambhar,payasam,Podi,pickle,curdrice,pooris,Kosambari,papad,laddoo,dry subzi,gravy dish,curd itself.

Ayurvedic cooking.This is mind blogging oops boggling..

Break fast.

Lunch.
Dinner.
Soups.
Sprouts.
Greens.
Daals
Rice.
Hyderabaadi.
Poha.
Broken wheat.
Moat.
Naamish.
Khichdi's
khichda's
jowar
Vegetarian haleem.
Dahi varieties.
Combos..like we have at home.
What goes with rotis.
Our own patli puri..or satpuda.
A perfect paratha.
Stuffed parathas.oats varities.
Vadas..dahi,rasam etc.
Chinese I have to learn You have to add.

What does a good Kitchen Have and does'nt have must haves.

Starters..

Just because I am taking an interest in cooking which is strange, every one has to know. When some really yum stuff gets made after all the uncertainties and I have this feeling ..I wish I could share this. Thats why this blog.
But guess it is so so our own recipe that only the cooks know it. I am actually falling into the category..of COOKS!! I always cooked safe.. easy stuff where you can't go very wrong.
Leave the kids I am fed up..khatti daal..phali..OMG. I want something NEW!!

One of the things that Raj set out to do during the sabbatical was learn to cook exotic stuff. When he actually did that he made some amazing Chinese food, I have never tasted but heard enough from the kids.
The same time saw a very fed up Tanvi craving for Asha aunty's Rasam..and Asha as usual forgetting not only the Rasam..even to give the recipe..thats it..I went on the net. For the first time I did something apart from Scramble i,e., google recipes.

This was almost getting abandoned..when Pinka kept reminding..well this is her dream.

Another reason is as I am writing is right now all the sisters are together in Milwaukee and they can look up together and add to this the sheer lovely thing. What better way than food to stay connected!!!

I love the stories around cooking than cooking itself. Don't expect exact measurements..I don't cook like that I can't write it too. As a Enthu writer I may miss some important points..just ask questions..I'll only be flattered.

Enjoy..