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We’ve Moved!

July 8, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Homemade Pasta with Mushroom and Asparagus

July 6, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Homemade pasta is something to cheer your kid up. Nothing stop Yaseen from running around the house making a mess like show him a big plate of freshly made pasta with rich hearty meat sauce.

Making pasta seems to a lot of work. “Why can’t I just snug a bag of dry spaghetti from my pantry and drop them in the boiling water? Won’t it do the justice?” if you haven’t tried the fresh pasta, you wouldn’t know how different and amazing the fresh pasta is. The soft, moist, home-warm type of food you dream about is actually very simple to make.

Pasta dough is so simple that it will take you less time than making pasta sauce itself.

Pasta dough rules: add 2 egg with every cup of flour. This can easily feed 2 people. But trust me you will need at lease 6 eggs and 3 cup of flour to feed a hungry family of 4 like mine.

(Serving 4-6)

2 cup Flour

4 large Eggs

1/2 tsp salt

How to make this heavenly strings….

You need to have a large clean working space. Add 2 cup of flour in the large mixing bowl.

Make a well in the pile of flour and crack the eggs in. Mix together with your hand. Knead by hands until dough becomes smooth and pliable, add more flour if necessary.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes giving you time to clear up space.

Roll out the dough as thin as you can. Spring a little flour on top of the surface before cut it into thinly long strips. Make sure every strip is separated from on others.

Cooking pasta:

Boil water in the large pot with salt. When the water is furiously boiled drop your pasta and cook for 2- 3 minutes. Check by eating them. The pasta should be tender and cook thoroughly from the inside. Strain out the water and use this delicious pasta for your recipe. If you don’t you it immedietly, toss it with some butter.

Pasta with Mushroom and Asparagus

Ingredients:

200 gm Button Mushroom- sliced

1 big bunch of Asparagus- sliced into 2 inches

1 Onion- diced

4 cloves Garlic- minced

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 tbsp cream

2 tbsp butter

Heat butter in the large pan with drizzle of cooking oil to prevent butter from burning.

Add onion and sauté until transparent and add garlic. Stir for one minute.

Add mushroom and stir.

Add asparagus and stir.

Add Worcestershire, black pepper and a cup of stock. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Add cream and stir then turn off the heat.

Dump pasta in and mix well.

Serve hot and enjoy!

This might not be our favourite pasta sauce, but it’s simply delicious. What’s your favourite pasta sauce?

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Egg Bhurji and My New Coasters

July 5, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Egg Bhuri is an Indian spicy scramble egg. It is hot and spicy, so you might be surprised to know that it is one of Yaseen’s favourite dishes. Living here, he grows accustomed to the taste and flavour of India. So he loves the taste of masala and spices. The actual Egg Bhurgi in India is spicier and intense in flavour more than the one in my recipe. I tried to adapt it to make it quick and easy with less spicy so the whole family can enjoy.

Egg Bhurji

Ingredients: (2 servings)
Eggs – 4
½ tbsp Garam masala powder ( A basic blend of ground spices common in Indian and other South Asian cuisines. It is available in the package in Indian or Asian grocery stores.)
1 Onion – chopped
1 Tomato – chopped
Few Fresh coriander chopped
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Method:

In the pan on the medium heat add oil. When the oil is hot sauté onion until it is soft and transparent. Add tomato and cooked for a few second, add garam masala and salt to taste. Cook until tomato is soft and the masala aromatic fragrance infused. 

Beat eggs and salt quickly and add to the pan. Stir continuously and cook till egg is well done.

Serve with toast or bread.

Today I made these coasters! I have to admit that I am not a very patient person. I only know the basic knitting. I had 3 hours free in the morning, so I finish 6 coasters. I want to try making placemats next weekend.

Do you make crafts at home? Do you have time to create something at home?

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Stir Fried Egg with Cucumber and Tomato

July 3, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

The thing about working with simple ingredients is that I feel so confident and leisurely cooking them. Fresh cucumber and tomato are never absent form my fridge. They are always in our grocery list because we use them in day to day dishes like salads, sandwiches, curries, stews, etc. But one of my favourite ways of cooking them is stir fry them with eggs in a hot wok.

Stir Fried Egg with Cucumber and Tomato

Ingredients: (4 servings)

2 eggs- beaten

2 cucumber- peeled and sliced

1 big tomato-sliced

1/2 onion- sliced

4 cloves garlic- minced

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

2 tbsp oil 

Heat oil in a wok or large pan over the medium- high heat and add oil.

Add garlic and sauté until turn yellow.

Add eggs and stir to separate into small pieces.

Add cucumber, tomato and onion and stir for few second.

Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and salt and stir for 2-3 minutes or until the cucumber is lightly soften.

Spring some ground white pepper over it and it’s ready.

Serve with some rice.

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Chicken Nuggets

July 1, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

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Thanks,
Tes

Chicken Nugget is all time kids’ favourite dish. I know nothing will be left on the plate once I place it on the table with some ketchup. I tried to make heart shaped nuggets but they look more like the triangles. It is so easy to make and the best part is they are so crispy yummy!

Chicken Nuggets: (4 servings)

500 gm boneless Chicken- cut in small pieces

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp butter milk

1 1/2 cup cracker biscuit crumb

Oil for frying

 

Add chicken, salt, pepper and butter milk in the food professor. Roughly blend until the chicken is minced and the ingredients are combined together.

Form into desirable shape with your hands.

Roll in cracker crumb.

Heat oil in the pan over the medium heat and fry the nuggets until golden brown and cook.

Serve with some fresh vegetable and ketchup or your favourite sauce.

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Instant Happy Recipes

June 30, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

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Thanks,
Tes

You might have packages of instant noodle lying around the kitchen, but the plain noodle might not interest you. Even in the rush hour we need something more than just a quick bite. When I’m busy at work, I hate to eat a cold turkey sandwich or some instant noodle form the cup. I want a good meal but instantly good meal. So what I did in the kitchen when I had a pile of work on the laptop and the household work in front of me. Yes, I go for instant noodle but an upgrade version. And what would I do if I want some good snacks in the middle of the night or late afternoon which are not from the boring packages. I love everything homemade. So we make flat doughnuts!

Upgrade Instant Noodle: (2 serving)

2 packages Instant noodle of your choice

200 gm chicken- sliced

2 1/2 cup Chicken stock

1/2 cup- sliced Cabbage

1/2 cup- beans Sprout

Few celery leaves or scallion- chopped

Salt & pepper to taste 

Bring chicken stock to boil in the medium pot.

Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Add cabbage and sprout.

Add noodle and let it submerge in the liquid.

Cook further until the noodle is soft and cooked.

Season with salt and pepper.

Spring some celery leaves or scallion over and eat!

 

Flat Doughnuts: (Make about 20)

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

Oil for frying

Whisk sugar, egg, vanilla essence and butter together until sugar is dissolved.

Sift in whole wheat flour and baking powder and mix well.

Form the dough with your hand and knead gently for few minutes.

Divide the dough into about 20 parts and roll out into thin flat circle sheet.

Heat oil in the pan over the medium heat and fry these round sheets until golden brown.

Serve them hot plain or with icing sugar or jam.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Chicken and Cheese Sandwich rolls

June 30, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

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Thanks,
Tes

We called this chicky cheese sandwich. It’s simply pan fried chicken in the hotdog bun with mozzarella cheese melting on top. We love these delicious dogs in the afternoon with some lemonade. Make sure you make few extra sandwiches because we expect the fight for the last one.

Chicky Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients: (make 5 sandwiches)

300 gm chicken- cut into small pieces

1/2 onion- diced

3 cloves garlic- minced

1 tomato- diced

1/2 capsicum- diced

1 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

Little thyme- chopped

3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

5 French rolls/hotdog buns

3 tbsp butter

 

Heat 1 tbsp of butter in the pan over the medium heat.

Add onion and sauté until light brown.

Add garlic, tomato and capsicum then stir for few minutes.

Add chicken, salt, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Add chopped thyme and cook for few minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the heat and keep aside.

Run knife between the rolls without cutting through.

Butter inside the rolls generously with your favourite butter.

Add 2-3 tbsp of cooked chicken and top with grated mozzarella cheese.

Preheat the oven at 325 degree F.

Bake the rolls for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melt and the rolls are steamy hot.

Serve hot and eat fast!

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Quick Prawn Biryani

June 29, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

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Thanks,
Tes

Biryani is aromatic rice flavoured with spicy and any kind of meat. It is considered to be the special feast to be prepared on the special occasion. Making biryani is considered to be a very intimidating job, but I love it so much, so I find some short cut to the happiness!

 

I use Electric rice cooker for this recipe because it is easy ad quick. But you can cook rice in regular large pot, it produces the same result.

 

Ingredients: (serving 6) 

1 kg Prawn- peeled and deveined

3 cup Basmati Rice

1 tbsp Coriander powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp biryani masala powder- instruction below

2 tbsp chopped ginger

3 tbsp chopped garlic

4 shallots- peeled

3 onion- sliced

1 tomato- sliced

1/2 cups plain yogurt

¼ cup chopped coriander

¼ cup chopped mint

1/2 cup ghee (Clarify butter)

3 pod Cardamom- bruised

2 bay leaves

4-5 curry leaves

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Raisin

1/4 cup Cashew nut

1 lime

 Sacred Spice mix recipe from my mother-in-law

Let make this quickly!

In a large skillet, heat ghee over the medium flame.

Add cashew nut and fry until golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add raisin in the same pan, fry until they are puffed. Remove and keep aside.

 Add onion in the same pan and sauté until brown. Remove half of the onion and keep aside.

 

Blend garlic, shallot and ginger in the blender and add to the fried onion in the pan with some curry leaves. Stir until aroma.

Add tomato, biryani masala powder, coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric powder and stir continuously for few minutes.

Add yogurt, salt to taste and 1 cup of water. Cook for another few minutes.

Add prawn and cook for 3-5 minutes or until prawn curl and turn pink.

Spring coriander leaves and mint leaves in. Squeeze the juice of one lime in and keep aside.

 

Cook 3 cups of rice in 5 cup of water with 1 tsp of salt, bay leaves and cardamoms in the electric rice cooker. If you don’t have one, then cook rice in the really large pot.

When rice is almost cooked, throw fried onion, raisin and cashew nut in and mix well. 

Now remove 2/3 of rice out of the pan and keep in another large pot. Add prawn curry mixture on top of the rest of rice in the rice cooker. Use wooden spoon to even all the ingredients. Dump all the rice back in the rice cooker and cook further for 3-5 minutes or until rice is cooked.

 

Serve with slice onion, lemon wedges and cucumber raita.

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Pune University

June 24, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

It is also know as Oxford of the East, the hit spot for Asian & Middle East students. I graduated form here 4 years ago. This beautiful university is a famous educational destination and historical landmark of Pune city.

Pune University Main Building is under renovation for several months

This 400 acres campus is also popular hangout spot; it is a perfect place for family outdoor activities, picnic, and botanical wonderland trip.

The air in the university is so clean and fresh, it’s great for morning walk. Early of the day you will see cute senior citizen couples walking hand in hand. They are so cute and make me wonder if I and Sadik be this sweet when we are at this age.

We love it here...

We are so lucky to live so close by. We often go for a walk in the morning, hangout under the tree in the late afternoon, or go play football and cricket in the evening.

This must be the place I love the most in Pune. I can sit here and forget myself for one moment and let my head climbs up the tree or flies free over the top of the green grass.

There are beautiful gardens richen by the color of flowers and plants. I love going there to take photo and enjoy ever bit of these beautiful blossoms.

We live in the city so it is one of very few places where I can let Yaseen run free and roll over the muddy floor.

You must have your favourite park, where you love spending time with your family and make new friends…the place you sit for hours and lose youselves into the scene before your eyes. When is the last time you run bare feet so fast with the biggest smile on your face? How offend you lay down over the fresh grass without worrying about germs?

Me??? … in Pune university every weekend :)

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

Fish with Dill curry

June 24, 2010

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

I had a very heavy dinner last night, we had the World Cup snacks and I munched on a whole bag of potato chip. I was upset with my weight and how I felt so tired and lazy. Though Yaseen really want me to bake some cookies or muffins but all I needed was a few more hours of sleep. We ended up giving the sad Yaseen grilled cheese sandwich instead. I make myself a light coffee and that was all I could effort for breakfast.

I remember my mom told me how dill is fortifying, anti spasmodic and helping in removing the toxic substances form the body. I used to make smoothie out of it before and it wasn’t pretty. It’s about lunch and the clock was ticking. I had a bunch of dill in my hand…

I learned this recipe when I was young. I had never tried it on fish before, but I really didn’t have mood for chicken today. We wanted light and healthy curry with some rice. This is a Northeast Thailand style fish curry with dill. We usually served it with sticky rice but I found it equally wonderful with jasmine rice or rice vermicelli.

Fish and Dill curry

Ingredients: (4 servings)

300 gm Fish (any firm fresh fish like king fish, pomfret, catfish, etc.)

2 smooth luffa- sliced

A bunch of dill- sliced into 2 inches long

2 stalks lemon grass- white part sliced

8 shallots- peeled

1/2 whole garlic- peeled

1-2 red chili (or less if you like it mild)

2-3 tbsp fish sauce or to taste

1 tsp sugar

Add lemon grass, shallots, garlic and chili in the blender and roughly blend it to paste.

Heat 1 1/2 cups of water in the pot, add the paste, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to boil and cook for few minutes.

Slice luffa add to the pot.

Stir and cook until the luffa is soften.

Add fish and gently stir. Simmer for 5 minutes or fish is cooked thoroughly.

Add dill and gently stir. Once dill is lightly soften, turn off the heat and serve.

It’s fresh and healthy! I’m feeling better already!

Hi friends,

 Homewarming has moved to new home here.

(http://tesathome.com/)

Thanks,
Tes

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