All posts by Ashwita

Ashwita is a Reiki master and past life therapist. She loves traveling, photography, writing, painting and cooking! She made her first cookies at 12 and fell in love with baking, a love that is still strong. Desserts are her specialty, although she can cook dishes from around a dozen cuisines.
All Posts, Breakfast

Tuna Egg Sandwich

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Now, I generally avoid any canned food, but there are a few weaknesses. Like tuna. Maybe I’ll buy a can or so in a year, but buy I will, and then I’ll enjoy a couple of days of some yummy tuna dishes.

And being in love with sandwiches, there’s gotta be a tuna sandwich, right?

Time taken: 10 min
Makes 2

Ingredients

4 slices of bread
½ cup canned tuna, crumbled
1 egg, boiled
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 Greek cucumber, sliced
1 big tomato, sliced
1 cup shredded lettuce leaves
salt and pepper

Method

Crumble the egg, mix it with the tuna and the mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the shredded lettuce on a slice of bread, place the tomatoes and cucumber of top of it and scoop half the tuna egg on top of it.

Cover with the other slice and serve.

The accompaniment in the picture is potato wedges.

All Posts, Mains

Twice Baked Potatoes

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twice baked potatoes

There’s something magical about baked potatoes. I’d make them as a young teenager using the microwave, top it up with plenty of butter and it was one of my favorite snacks. What’s more, it just took 10 minutes to make!

I don’t use the microwave anymore, definitely not for cooking, so I just threw them into the oven. I found that they were so much more moist and tasty.

The timings can vary a bit, depending on the size, variety and the quality of potato you are using, so be careful about that. Also, if you are using the microwave, remember not to use foil unless you want to start a fire!

Russet potatoes are the best variety for baking. Look for potatoes with a brown, even skin without any green patches. Avoid potatoes with discolored patches, bruises or sprouts. Pick potatoes with similar sizes and shapes so that the baking is as even as possible.

Time taken: 1-1.5 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 medium sized potatoes (Russet if possible)
3 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
2 tbsp butter, cold
Salt

½ cup green peas
½ cup sweet corn
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grated cheese
½ cup milk or cream
1 tsp Italian herbs or pizza seasoning
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F

Wash the potatoes under cold water, scrubbing to remove any dirt. Pat dry.

Pierce each potato with a sharp knife or fork, at approximately one inch intervals, on each side. Or, use a toothpick and poke all over. This makes sure that steam can escape easily and the potatoes do not burst.

Coat the potatoes in oil. Put salt in a place, and roll the potatoes lightly in the salt.

Wrap in aluminium foil and place in the oven
> Purists are against the idea of using foil for baked potatoes, but I like the moistness it brings. So skip it if you like your potatoes all flaky.

After 30 minutes of baking, rip the foil open with a knife, so that the steam escapes. Let it continue baking for another 15 minutes, totally 45 min.

While the potatoes are baking, steam the peas, corn, carrots and bell pepper for 10 minutes.

Heat milk and half the cheese together and boil until fairly thick. Mix in the vegetables and season with salt and herbs.

When the potatoes are done, slice them in half and scoop out a bit of the flesh from each half.

Mix the scooped out flesh with the vegetables, and place the vegetables on top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle grated cheese on top and place a little piece of butter on top of each potato.

Bake for another 10 minutes.

All Posts, Salads

A Dieter’s Wholesome Salad

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Raw food diets are so powerful. You don’t have to switch to eating raw for the rest of your life, but just eating raw one day a week, or a month, or for a few days at a stretch, can be a wonderful way to detox and bring the body back in balance. Some people do juice fasts, but I find those pointless as you are grinding away all the fibre, and science agrees.

This is the salad I make when I want to eat only raw, but I am pretty hungry. It is a myth that raw foods cannot be filling. Try this salad and you’ll know what I’m talking about!

You can put a lot of things in. I just search my pantry, find anything sprout-able and throw it in . Ditto for the veggies. Did you know that you can eat turai (ridge gourd) and lauki (bottle gourd) raw? Did you know that you could even eat ladies finger and brinjals raw? Maybe that would be pushing it, for most people, but at least add the turai and lauki. 

Time taken: 10 min + 24 hours soaking and sprouting

Ingredients

(All ingredients are optional, pick what you like/ have)
For Sprouting:
2 tbsp whole mung dal
2 tbsp matki or moth bean
2 tbsp whole masoor dal
2 tbsp horse gram
2 tbsp black chana or chickpea
2 tbsp dried white or green peas (vatana)
3 tbsp raw peanuts

Nuts and dried fruits:
2 tbsp almonds
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp cashew nuts
3-4 dates
2-3 dried figs

Fruits:
Apple, thinly sliced
Orange, seeds removed and sectors chopped in half
Grapes
Pomegranate, de-seeded
Coconut, meat chopped

Seeds:
1 tbsp sesame (wonderful in winters)
1 tbsp poppy seeds (wonderful in summers)
1 tbsp chia seeds (sabja seeds are a great desi substitute)
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, fresh or roasted
1 tbsp sunflower seeds, fresh or roasted
1 tbsp flax seed powder

Leaves:
Baby spinach
Brahmi
Amaranth
Methi or fenugreek
Dhania or coriander
Pudina or mint
Shepu or dill

Vegetables:
Turai or ridge gourd
Lauki or bottle gourd
Snake gourd
Zucchini
Broccoli (can be fresh or steamed)
Cucumber
Carrot
Radish
Beetroot
Tomatoes (add only if you aren’t adding any fruits or nuts)

Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp honey (if you are using fruits or nuts)
Dried Italian herbs (if there are no fruits or dry nuts)
Salt and pepper

Method

Soak all the sprouting ingredients together overnight.

Drain the water and let them sit at least for 8 hours or so. Usually, I take as much as I need for the salad, and let the rest continue sprouting. Refrigerate after 2 days of sprouting, and they will do just fine in the fridge. Rinse once everyday.

Soak the dry fruits and nuts. You could use them as is, but their nutritive value increases manifold if soaked overnight. You can drink the water they were soaked in.

Shred the leaves and chop the vegetables. Cucumber, carrots, beetroot and radish can be grated for better texture.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing and season with herbs, salt and pepper, to taste. Pour over the salad, toss, chill and enjoy!

All Posts, Breakfast

Spinach n Corn Sandwich

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Spinach and Corn Sandwich

Spinach and corn are such a lovely combination. The one in the picture is a simple, healthy spinach and corn sandwich, but you can also make it a lot richer. This recipe will give you both options.

Time taken: 15 min
Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

4 slices of bread
2 cups chopped spinach
¾ cup sweet corn
1 tsp mixed Italian herbs or pizza seasoning
1 tsp butter
½ tsp finely chopped garlic (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

For a healthier version
½ cup soya granules

For a richer version
½ cup milk
½ cup cheese

Method

Steam or boil the sweet corn until done, about 10 min.

Heat butter, add the garlic and spinach, and saute until wilted.

Soak the soya granules in hot water as per instructions and drain and squeeze them.

Mix the milk and the cheese, and cook them over low heat with continuous stirring until it starts looking like a paste.

Mix all the ingredients together, season with salt and pepper.

Spread on the side of a toasted slice of bread, top with another, and serve.

All Posts, Breakfast

Mango Milkshake

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mango milkshake

Most people will tell you that if you eat too many ripe mangoes during the summer, you will get sick. Not so many people will tell you, that if you drink a glass of milk after the mangoes, you will be juuussstt fine. Now, I haven’t verified this fact myself as I usually believe in moderation, but it does come from a trusted source.

And what better way to pair milk and mangoes, than mango milkshake? I remember drinking this almost every day, every summer. And it is so, so simple to make.

Time taken: 5 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 mango ( I prefer alfonso or badami, but take your pick)
2 glasses of cold milk
2 tsp sugar
couple pinches of cardamom (optional)
a few mint leaves (optional)

Method

Blend everything together. Serve.

All Posts, Salads

Baby spinach and Apple Salad

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Spinach leaves are usually better consumed cooked, as fresh spinach contains oxalic acid, which prevents the absorption of certain nutrients. Baby spinach, on the other hand, has very little oxalic acid and if you ever get to lay your hands on them, grab a bunch and make this beautiful salad!

Time taken: 10 min
Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 apple
2 cups baby spinach leaves
½ pomegranate
¼ cup chopped almonds and walnuts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper

Method

Core the apple and slice it thinly. Deseed the pomegranate.

Mix the lemon juice, honey and olive oil, whisk until it becomes a thick and homogeneous. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the spinach leaves at the bottom of a bowl, and add the apples, pomegranate seeds and nuts. Pour the dressing on top and toss the salad.

Serve immediate or after chilling for a while.

All Posts, Desserts

Best Brownies

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brownie

It was a special day when I found this recipe on the internet. That was the day I stopped looking for any brownie recipes! Brownies can be quite a mess to make if you’re going to melt chocolates, and the recipes I had found before weren’t so much fun.

I wouldn’t have tried this recipe if she hadn’t insisted that it is better than the ones that use melted chocolate, because usually I would look specifically for the melted chocolate recipes. How else would one get the richness? But this recipe… is just awesome. You cannot tell that it is a cocoa based brownie.

I went a step ahead and substituted the plain flour with whole wheat flour, and the sugar with the jaggery. Now, your only sin is the butter!

Time taken: 1 to 1.5 hours
Makes a 8×8″ brownie

Ingredients

150 gm unsalted butter
1¼ cups (250 gm) sugar
3⁄4 cup + 2 tbsp (65 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
½ cup (65 gm) all-purpose flour
2⁄3 cup (75 gm) walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
¼ tsp salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C or 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8×8″ pan with parchment paper, leaving some extra paper on the sides to facilitate easy removal of the brownies.

Combine butter, sugar/ jaggery, cocoa and salt in a heatproof bowl and place the bowl in a larger vessel with gently simmering water.

Stir gently until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Dip your finger in to test. If it is hot enough that you want to remove your finger immediately, take it off the heat.

Let it cool until it is warm. It gets grainy as it cools down, and this is ok and quite expected.

Add the vanilla and stir in the eggs one by one, whisking vigorously after each addition.

The batter should be thick and shiny. Now add the flour in parts until it is completely blended into the batter.

Beat vigorously for about 20 seconds. Stir in the nuts.

Spread evenly on the lined pan.

Bake for 30-35 min until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist with batter.

Now, oven fresh brownies are hard to resist, but if you’re keen on clean, crumble free pieces wait until it is cool before cutting. You could even refrigerate it for a while, for really clean lines.

Cut into squares and serve.

Serving suggestions

Dust with powdered sugar using a sieve, and serve as is.

I like to microwave it until it is hot, top it up with chocolate sauce (melted chocolate mixed with cream and butter) and pair this up with ice cream.

If you have a little sizzler plate, heat the plate, pour some chocolate sauce, place the brownie, add some more chocolate sauce and a scoop of ice cream, and you have a sizzling brownie!

All Posts

Scrambled Egg Wrap

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scrambled egg wrap

Wraps are one of my favorite summer foods. They are cool and light on the stomach, and when you choose your ingredients wisely, can be quite wholesome.

Although this is a scrambled egg recipes, if you aren’t into eating eggs, just substitute the scrambled eggs with scrambled paneer or tofu.

Time taken: 10 min
Makes 2

Ingredients

2 thin chappatis or tortillas
4 eggs, scrambled
1 cup chopped tomatoes
4-5 baby corns, sliced vertically and steamed
1 cup shredded lettuce
a handful of basil leaves
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place a chappati or tortilla on a working surface, and spread half the mayonnaise and mustard sauce on it.

Spread the lettuce and basil leaves, baby corn and tomatoes.

Add the scrambled eggs, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Wrap and serve.

All Posts, Desserts

Carrot Cake

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My father is a vegetarian, and my mother loves fish. When they got married, they made a pact. No cooking non-veg at home, but dad would take her out to a restaurant whenever she had cravings, or parcel some of it home.

Now, in those days, families would frequently exchange food items, and it was tradition to never return a box empty. This carrot cake has been a family trademark for decades, and in those days, Indian women rarely made cake. Eventually what happened was, every family that made good fish, would send us fish fry and request for carrot cake in return. Win-win for all!

So, here’s the carrot-cake family’s carrot cake recipe.

Time taken: 1 hour
Makes one 9″ cake

Ingredients

2 cups plain or whole wheat flour
2 cups white or brown sugar
2 cups grated carrot
1½ cups oil
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp clove powder
2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F and oil a 9″ cake tin.

Put the flour, salt, baking powder and spice powders in a bowl and stir well with a whisk to remove any lumps.

Mix oil and sugar together, stir for a couple of minutes

Add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition. Beat well.

Add the carrots, and the flour in parts, until well combined. Do not beat anymore, just gentle fold these in.

Pour into the greased cake tin and bake in a preheated oven for 40-50 min. When a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean, you know it is done.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top using a sieve, or frost with sweetened cream cheese.

Note: As this cake is dense and rich, you can easily substitute the white flour for wheat flour, without much compromise.

Serving suggestion

This cake tastes even better the next day.

If you haven’t frosted the cake, serve it with custard and chopped bananas and grapes. The combination is delicious.

All Posts, Easy Recipes, Mains, Sides

Thai Red Curry

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Serve with brown rice for a healthy meal

It was during my visit to Thailand many, many years ago, that I fell in love with Thai curry. We ate it everyday, and when I got back to India, I figured a way to make it. We didn’t get curry pastes in those days, OR the recipes online, and I had to manage with substitutes.

And then it became popular and Thai restaurants sprung up all over the city. My favorite Thai curries have been at the Nobel House in Jayanagar 4th block, and in Yo China!. Making it at home is also very simple, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money every time you have a craving. I make it with whatever I have at home. So if you’re missing a few vegetables in the list, just increase the quantity of the others.

If you have a lemon bush at home, add those leaves to the curry, it adds magic. If you don’t, well, just sow the seeds of the next lemon you cut, and you’ll have a little bush in no time 😉 trust me, it’s worth it!

Time taken: 20 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup sliced halved zucchini
½ cup sliced halved carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup halved baby corn
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
½ cup red bell pepper chopped in squares
½ cup water chestnuts (optional)
a handful of kafir lime, lemongrass & Thai basil leaves (optional)

1 can (14 oz/ 400gm) or 2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp chopped galangal (substitute: ginger)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
Salt to taste, a pinch of sugar

Method

Heat the oil and sauté the galangal/ginger and garlic for a minute.

Throw the vegetables in, in the order of time required for cooking. So that means the carrots go in first, the baby corn, zucchini and bell pepper after a couple of minutes, then broccoli and water chestnuts, and lastly mushrooms and leaves. Cover and cook until nearly done, 3-5 minutes.

Mix the cornflour, ¼ cup coconut milk, Thai curry paste and add it to the vegetables.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, take off the heat and serve.

Variation

For Thai chicken or prawn curry, substitute broccoli, baby corn and mushrooms with ½ kg prawns or skinless, boneless chicken. Also add 1 tbsp fish sauce along with the curry paste.