Farmers Bread?????

Everybody has their own version of a farmers bread... and so do I...
To tell u the truth... its not really a farmers bread coz i really dunno what they have and since i'm not a farmer i cant vouch for it... But neither is that famous chef u listen to... So why not try my version .. just like that...

Well the stories go that when farmers worked from dusk to dawn they would wrap for themselves a good loaf of bread that their wives baked early morning and have it during their meal with a good chunk of cheese... Obviously there was no big deal bout these loaves but the fact that they would suffice these hungry farmers...

So now for my version... Its as simple as it can get.... not too many ingredients not too much to weigh and not even stuff that u would have to search for.... But its just fantastic to have with your meal....

All you need is...

300 gms Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Red chilli Flakes

1 Tsp Oregano

300 ml Buttermilk

7-8 nos Olives

5-6 nos Jalapenos

1/2 nos Onion (sliced)

2 Tbsp Olive oil
Parmesan

To make it

• Pre heat the oven to 200 degree celcius.
• In a large enough mixing bowl sieve together flour, salt, baking powder, chilli flakes and oregano.
• Make a hole in the centre and add the chopped jalapenos and the butter milk.
• Form a claw with your fingers and move the stuff in the bowl in one direction with your hand so as to form a lump of mass.
• Remove this lump onto a floured surface and knead with the base of your palm just a couple of times to form a smooth ball. Not too much or you would loose all the aeration.
• Take a greased cake tin and put the dough into it... flatten with your fingers and then make holes into the entire flatttened dough with the same claw...
• Now scatter around the sliced onions and the sliced olives... Pour over the olive oil in a zig zag way so as to get a smooth sheen
• Finally grate the parmesan on top if required..( i just love cheese... and will never loose an opportunity) and bake till the crust is brown and a knife inserted comes out clean....

And then Enjoy...

Note: This is a no fat recipe... even the olive oil used may be avoided.... ;)

Keventers........

Walkin down the street...
In that scorching heat of our very own Delhi...
Shopping for things that we really don't need....
Holding atleast 7 bags of the same...
While the wife/ girlfriend decides on which shop to raid next...
Walkin on the footpath of this never ending circle, which even if incidently we complete pls don worry this was just the outer circle the inner is still to be discovered....

Yes ! ! ! You guessed it right i'm talkin bout CP....

Why do women and many men too just love this place...? its crouded... its full of shops that tear your pocket... people push u here and there... its confusing.... u get no parking on weekends... blah blah... blah blah...

WE LOVE CP.................................

End of discussion....

What do i love most about this place... The colourful shops... Each having its own crooked way of pulling u in and makin u drool over its stuff... and pinching you till u buy somethin... Those manequins, are they really just manequins or hmmm.... you know what i mean.




Well, so now to tell u bout the place i love the most... Keventers. Somewhere deep within i'm still a lil kid loving her strawberry milk shake, chocolate smoothie or even the mango delight. Well this place is part of Delhi's history.
Years of stature this place has been around since my dad was born. Its a meeting place for so many, while many come here just to beat the heat. For the ones who've been there, is there anythin better than the milkshakes that Keventers serves when u're tired and down with all that sun and shoppin....???? If there is do tell me....
It brings back fond memories to some.... it reminds some of their childhood when their dads brought them there.... some go back to their college days when their bunked their lectures for a sip of divine indulgence.... while for some its all bout a lil break from the shopping just before they get back fo the second round.....

What though i find most fascinating is the way we're served... Squirm your way upto the guy at the counter and tell him what u want.... The way the guy remembers every single order and serves it right to the right person... unimaginable...u'll understand when u're there... when u have atleast a twenty hungry hands "in your face" literally....
At the end of the day its a fantastic place... An awesome place to end your day in a fantastic city...

Visit.... and do let me know.... :)

Yummyyyyyyyyy.....

I finally managed to do this.... For a really long long time i wanted to make these tiny pieces of indulgence.... And i finally managed....Now slowly i wish to start flamboyantly showing them around...







My loyal guinea pig says that they taste "quite nice" and that his tummy is turning like his wife's was a couple of months back.... (P.S. she just had a baby boy)





Well that does'nt stop me from my endeavours..... From bitter orange to rum and raisin truffles... Coffee liqueur to swing... and the more down to earth roasted almonds and butter scotch he's tasted them all and is quite " happy"... SO AM I....





I know i cant get u to taste them but their pic's should hopefully whet your appetite...

Do tell me if they have any effect on your taste buds...

Yours affectionately

The experimenting Chocolatier.....

Bangali Adda........

"Kotto eta" ---- How much for that?


"Baro taka" ---- 12 bucks


" Chho takae ekta luchi deben?" ---- Will u gimme 1 puri for 6 bucks....?



Somethin my dad overheard at C R Park.... A typical bengali conversation... Its fantastic how a bengali uncle would go up to a vegetable vendor and buy exactly what he needs for dinner. Its true. They come home from work at about 6:30. Wash up, pick a bag got to the subji mandi and buy exactly two pieces of tomatoes, one large onion, some 100gms okra, and definately two pieces of sweet... bengali mithai....





What a simple lifestyle... No wastage... not too many choices to confuse and best of all fresh...





So taking the opportunity since we were stationed in gk 2 for three days... we took off to CR Park for breakfast... at DADU CUTLET SHOP.... loads of choices.... as u can see










BUt hello we were here for breakfast so be it the perfect luchi and aaloo bhaaji...






Can u beleive, its for 10 bucks....



Well next door was Annapurna sweets.. the famous bengali sweet shop.. so how could we resist....






I finished off with a small glass ( yeah thats the smaller size..) of mishti doi ( sweeet curd) and papa had the sweet third from left ( chhena toast) and jiju had the one second( cham cham)....



What a fantastic end to a fantastic breakfast... And hello the total meal costed us about 50 bucks... aint that great....????



What about me tellin u how to make some fab luchi's....????


So here it goes...

LUCHI

Ingredients
2 cups Maida ( all purpose flour)
1/2 tsp salt
oil for frying

Method

• Sift maida and salt. Add 1/2 tbsp oil. Knead lightly. Add water and knead well till becomes soft. Water should be added gradually. Keep aside covered for about half a hour.
• Divide into about 20 portions. Roll out each portion into a round size of about 4" diameter.
• Heat oil to very hot in a deep frying pan. Fry one at a time with light tapping so that it puffs, turn over till light golden. Drain and remove.
• Serve hot.

Anju ka Gyaaaaaaaaaan

1. Too much kneading with oil will make very crunchy luchis. (Kneading stretches the gluten in the flour making the product crisp).BUt hello remember that luchis should be soft and puffed, not crisp and flat.
2. Oil should be very hot otherwise it will not puff. It takes only about 30 to 35 seconds for each luchi to puff up.

Mashkai......

Well... there are times that u feel that things are meant to happen...

Remember the times that granny said it wont happen till its supposed to... well there is a time for everything...

We all really thought its gonna happen yesterday... we were all scared.. excited... anticipating.. all emotions packed into us... but then it dint.... conclusion.... how could it happen without her mashkai being fulfilled... ma had to make sabudana upma for her...

Well , so here it is... i'm gonna call it mashkai from now on....

• Nicely wash the sabu dana and soak in water for a half an hour...

• Drain it in a colander for another half hour... once all the water has drained away... put it into a flat spread out dish and keep it in the fridge to chill...

• Chop up the onions and green chilies.

• Wash , peel and dice the potatoes.

• Heat up the oil in the kadhai and splutter the cumin seeds.

• Add the onions and green chili and saute till translucent

.

• Once done add the potatoes and the turmeric powder.
  
  

• To the chilled sabu dana add, chopped coriander, grund peanuts, a little bit of salt and sugar.

Note : Remember, salt is a food enhancer...

• Finally add it to the kadhai and toss for a couple of minutes and then cover and cook on sim for about 5 minutes and then remove from the flame and add lemon juice and mix.
  
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and shredded coconut.
  

Serve Hot.... Enjoy her Mashkai ! ! ! :)

P.S. : And ya now i'm sure it can happen any time... Mashkai jo pura hogaya.....