Dil Chahta hai

and my cauliflower curry…

Have you seen the movie Ratatouille? There is a flashback scene, where in the food critic Anton Ego is taken back to his childhood days when he eats Ratatouille.

Similar to that, every time I see a dry cauliflower curry, it takes me back to the day we saw Dil Chahta Hai.

Three of us were supposed to go. Me and another sleeping beauty, slept through the entire morning and left all the work to Miss M. The movie was at around 1 or 1.30 PM – So, Poor Miss M, ended up cooking our brunch, waking us up, making sure that we had food and generally seeing to it that we reach the theater well fed (we would be cranky otherwise), and on time. Our jaws dropped open when we saw that she had booked a call taxi (point to point taxi, which was a whole new thing then). Tickets were sold out by the time we reached the place and we had to buy it in black for Rs. 150/- ( three times the ticket price). When we got in, the movie had started and the first thing we saw was Akshay Khanna’s close up shot and the exclamation was “150 muthalayi” (Well worth the 150 Rupees)!!!!

Now, back to the cauliflower curry. This was what Miss M had cooked for our brunch. My version is not half as good as hers, but still I keep trying.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower – 1 medium, cut into small florets

Onion – 1, chopped fine

Tomato – 1 or 2, chopped fine

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves, a few

Oil – 1 -2 tsp

Salt, to taste

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan and when its hot, add the mustard. When it splutters, add the urad dal and curry leaves.
2. Add the chopped onions and fry till it turns transparent.
3. Add the chopped tomato and fry till it turns soft.
4. Add all the powders (chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala). Add salt and fry for a minute or two.
5. Add the cauliflower florets and mix nicely.
6. Fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring now and then.
7. Add about 1/4 cup water, cover the pan and cook on a low flame till cauliflower is done, about 4-5 minutes.
8. Switch off once the cauliflower is cooked and serve with rice and sambar.

Easier Version:

1. Cover and cook the cauliflower florets in Microwave for about 6-8 minutes. It should be cooked, but shouldn’t be mushy.
2. Heat oil add the spices and salt.
3. Add the (almost) cooked cauliflower and mix nicely.
4. Cook for 3-4 minutes, till the flavors blend in and the cauliflower is completely cooked.
5. Serve with rice and sambar.

C for Cake

Birthdays are always special. You feel excited for your close friends’ birthdays too- especially if you get to bake a cake for them.

Two of my close friends are celebrating their birthdays today! I baked a cake for my friend in Chennai and am sending my wishes to the one overseas. One of them worked with me for a long time, the other one was my room mate for a long time. They are both as close to me as one can get. So they will eat anything I cook or bake ;-)

So here is to Friendship- to birthdays – to cakes!

Recipe for a simple yellow cake.

Ingredients:

Flour – 1 1/2 cups, sifted

Sugar – 1 cup

Butter – 1/2 cup (about 115 gms or 1 stick)

Eggs – 2, medium

Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Milk – 1/2 cup

Vanilla Essence – 1/2 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease an 8″ round pan.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a big mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy(I use my hand mixer for this).
4. Beat eggs separately. Add it to the butter-sugar mix and continue beating for a minute or two.
5. Add the flour and milk alternatively and keep beating in low speed. Add vanilla essence.
6. Pour into the greased pan, level it and bake for 25- 30 minutes.
7. Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out dry or with a few crumbs, the cake is done. Else bake for 5 more minutes.

Ingredients for Butter cream Icing:

Butter – 3/4 cup (175 gms or 1 1/2 sticks)

Icing sugar – 2 1/4 cups

Milk  - 2 tbsp (optional)

Food coloring

Method:

1. Beat the butter in a big mixing bowl(I used my hand mixer).
2. Slowly incorporate icing sugar until well blended.
3. Add milk, if necessary and continue beating until pale and fluffy.
4. Add a drop or two of the required food coloring and beat until well mixed.

How I did it:

1. I made the cake the previous day and wrapped it in two layers of grease-proof  paper(butter paper).
2. Then I put it in a zip-lock cover and kept it in the freezer overnight.
3. I made the butter cream icing the next day and decorated the frozen cake.
4. I left the decorated cake to thaw itself out for about two hours.
5. Sometimes the cake ‘sweats’ out. Its fine. This time, how ever, it didn’t.
6. Icing over a frozen cake is easier and the cake turns out to be very moist.