Monthly Archives: April 2015

Apr30

Bloggers Meet for askme.com

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This was my long time pending post, since we have been to vacation after the meet up. After lots of discussion between my hubby and me, we planned for this meet up. Actually, we were on a hurry burry as we had to start to Ooty the next day for our vacation. Everyone knows about the packing challenge for a week trip, for a family with two naughty kids. However, apart from all these things we made it for the meet up arranged by askme.com & FBAB at OKO, The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore.

Arrangements
Arrangements – 2
Chefs of The Lalit Ashok
Foodie Meetup at Lalit Ashok

Here starts our Journey; we arrived at the right time. I was stunned to see the arrangements; it looked like a corporate meet, in a word, I could say very “Professional”. As a homemaker – my world is home and a few places outside my home (schools, markets, hospitals, shopping…), and I was so nervous to see all the arrangements. There were few people and there was a person who I know well, none other than Chef Bibhuti Bhusan Panigrahy commonly known as Chef Bb among Bangaloreans, one of the founder of Food Bloggers Association Bangalore (FBAB), followed by one “Hi” to him, we settled down on our seats.

Foodie Meetup at Lalit Ashok
Chef – The Lalit Ashok with askme.com team
Kiwi juice
Watermelon juice

Ms.Randeep from askme.com team gave us an intro about askme.com, it was user friendly, and not only about food, you can search all your needs through Askme.com. First we were given watermelon juice and kiwi juice, it was too good and then we were given a plate with few snacks, it was attractive and small in size (miniature). It tasted too good, there were about eight different dishes, I too remember few of the name like salmon-cucumber roll, wrap, mushroom sauce, salad… The Chef (forgot the name), one of the in-house chef of Lalit Ashok explained (name of the dish, ingredients used in the dish) about the dishes in the plate.

First Plate – Snacks
Snack – 1
Snack – 2
Snack – 3
Snack – 4
Snack – 5
Snack – 6
Snack – 7

Next comes photography session by Mr.Satheesh. He gave some interesting tips about food photography and we were given a chance to click our plates. Most of our plates were finished by that time, and then they gave us a fresh plate filled with dishes.

A small intro about MADRAASI
At Foodie Meet

Again, we were given another plate with desserts (pastries, sweets), the presentation of the plate and the taste was too good. The Chef, one of the in-house chefs of Lalit Ashok explained us about each dishes.

Plate- 2 (Dessert)
Plate – 2 (Dessert)

There was a session on food carvings by Chef Bb, but due to some personal reasons, we could not stay until the end – Missed the group photo session. When we were leaving, we got a momento as a note of thanks from askme.com and The Lalit Ashok.

Chef Bb
Askme.com

A special thanks to Chef Bb to pick me out as one of the foodies and thanks to FBAB, Askme.com and The Lalit Ashok for giving me this great opportunity. #FBAB #askmefoodiesmeetup #OKOTheLalitAshok

 

 

 

Apr30

Mashed Potato Dip

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Mashed Potato Dip is one of my favorite dishes, all of a sudden on one rainy day I prepared this dish when I found some mashed potato lying in my refrigerator. I accompanied this Mashed Potato Dip with Spinach Paratha. The dip was too good; this goes out well with tossed bread or used as a spread for sandwich. Let us move on to the recipe…

Mashed Potato Dip

Mashed Potato Dip

Ingredients:

  • Potato – 100 gm
  • Mayonnaise – 50 gm
  • Garlic cloves – 4 nos
  • Coriander leaves – a handful
  • Salt to taste
Mashed potato, Mayyonaise, garlic cloves and salt
With coriander leaves
Mashed Potato Dip
Spinach Paratha with Mashed Potato Dip

Preparation:

  • Chop the potatoes into medium pieces and pressure-cook them in water for two whistles.
  • Open the lid, when pressure released and drain the water. Pour in a cup of tap water or cool water, peel of the skin and keep the potatoes aside.
  • Gently mash the potato with your hands.
  • Take the mashed potato, mayonnaise, and salt and garlic cloves together in a blender and blend the well.
  • Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.
  • Transfer the ground paste to a bowl, add in the finely chopped coriander leaves, and give a mix.
  • Do not disturb it for 20 mins, give a stir and serve.

This goes out well with parathas, sandwich and as a dip for fried dishes.

 

Apr30

Spinach Paratha

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I prepare Chapathi’s very often for dinner; my daughter loves to have something different from the usual one (like me). As usual, I was staring at the refrigerator what to do, found some spinach, so planned to try out this spinach paratha.

It is common among kids when it comes to spinach, particularly my son he avoids spinach. However, my daughter she has spinach but a very less quantity, even this happened after I told her that if you take spinach your skin would glow and you will look beautiful.

Therefore, this spinach paratha would be a good source for not only kids, but also adults in the intake of spinach. Everyone knew the benefits of spinach; I used Red Spinach / Amaranthus dubius, are good source of Vitamins C and A, being low in calories. Let us move on to the recipe…

Spinach Paratha

Spinach Paratha

Ingredients:

  • Red spinach / Amaranthus Dubius – a bunch
  • Wheat flour – 200 gm
  • Garlic clove – 3 nos
  • Salt to taste
  • Water – as required
Spinach getting blanched
Grounded spinach paste
With wheat flour
With spinach paste, spinach water and wheat flour
Dough is ready
Rolled for paratha
Spinach Paratha
Spinach Paratha with Mashed Potato Dip

Preparation:

  • Blanch the spinach: Remove the leaves, wash in running water. Drain the water. Boil a cup of water, add in the spinach and garlic with little salt, and wait for few mins until they turn dark in colour.
  • Separate the leaves from water, keep the water aside. Bring the spinach to room temperature and then blend it to a fine paste. Keep it aside.
  • Take the wheat flour with little salt, add in the spinach paste, and mix well.
  • Pour in the reserved spinach water to the flour and start kneading the flour, add water little by little and knead it a big ball.
  • Pour in a tbsp of oil over the ball, knead softly for few mins, and cover it with the wet cloth for 20 mins.
  • Take the flour into small pieces and roll them to small pieces.
  • Roll them in a rolling pin.
  • Heat oil in the tawa, gently place the rolled paratha over the tawa and cook them in medium flame.
  • Swap the sides and continue cooking.
  • Remove from fire, once cooked.

Serve hot with raita, dips or any gravy. I have accompanied this with Mashed Potato Dip.