Hot & Sweet Goji Berry Relish

You've heard it on Dr. Oz or through other health and wellness advocates, but here is a WebMD write up about it - It obviously has amazing qualities and is something only people on blood thinners should be cautious to use. Couple of years ago when this berry surfaced on the Oz show where I learnt of it first, I found myself getting online right away to order me some. And when it came, we started diligently using it in the wonderful daily fruit smoothie that we have in the morning - The kids got used to the new flavor that it brought to the smoothie, not without some fussing. Then my son discovered that they tasted great as is and had handfuls of them as a replacement for raisins. However, over the summer when I had not replenished the gojis, we got used to our fruit smoothie without it and we are pretty much back to square one when the kids (and the hubby) to add it once again! SO...... I thought I'd make something "innovative" with it and this is what I got - I had it on the fire a few minutes too long and it kind of caramelized - which really worked out so great- I had made it spicy so now we have it like we do Deepavali Layghyam! It at once satisfies all the taste buds ... This is a lip smacker - Do try it next time you want to make a special almost achar like relish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Goji berries
• 1.5 cups of broken down jaggery pieces (I added more than what is seen in the picture)
• 10 of your hottest red peppers (I used the mexican variety)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• A pinch of freshly ground cardamom
• 2tbsp water +2tbsp of water

Method

1. In a sauce pan heat the oil and add the red chilies and cook it until the oil is slightly bubbly and the chilies are turning brown (not black)
2. Remove and set aside to cool
3. In the same sauce pan add the water and add the jaggery and cardamom and allow it to melt to syrup
4. Now grind the chilies with the 2 tbsp of water and add to the syrup
5. Allow this to cook for a couple of minutes longer
6. Now add the gojis, pressing down on them to make sure all of them are covered in the syrup 
7. Do not stir and this point
8. Allow this to cook and simmer in the sauce - for about 5 for starters and a few minutes longer if required.
9. The jaggery starts getting stringy and it is done.
10. Cool it completely. 

NOTES: the problem if indeed you consider it one, with overcooking is they get caramelized and when it cools becomes like a sticky candy - I LOVED this although it was not my intention to get it to this level. 
Hence, play by year if you wish for a thinner syrup-ier  texture which will cool to the consistency of a relish or jam.

Use with yogurt rice, chappatis or parathas, on bread or as is.

Take my word for it when I say this one will dance on your tongue and will be one of the best things you tasted.  Here are some pictures. AND the last word is like Panchamritham or pickle it tastes better as it gets older :)

Oven Baked Aubergine

All of us who have made this veggie know how much of an oil guzzler Eggplants can be! This is by far the easiest and healthiest way in which I've prepared aubergine - Did I tell you that there are these cutie pie eggplants growing ma jardin and I have been trying out different recipes with them, the first of which is this super duper roast.

Here is the recipe (same as I have posted on FB


EASIEST Baked Aubergine Recipe
Set oven to 400 F
Cube the eggplants
Spray your baking pan
Spread cubed eggplant on the pan
Drizzle Olive oil
Add some sea salt and pepper
ORs ome spicy powder
Add some thyme
Bake for 25 minutes

And voila ...

Steamed Couscous Sandwiches -AKA Idlis

Idlis are often referred to as steamed rice cakes - However these have assumed several variations over the  years and people (self-included) have tried my hand at making these staple south Indian delicacy with grains other than rice. Couscous is one of them.
Couscous has replaced many a rice meal in our home and I have blogged the recipe for couscous idlis before - see here - but the kids were wanting a pizza for lunch 2 sundays ago - I did not want to make or buy pizzas - FYI each slice of pizza store/restaurant bought averages 450 for minimum to a max of 750 and beyond even depending on what the toppings are. We have been on a caloric ride all summer and the start of school signifies the change of diet as well - back to healthy, yummy, low calorie meals. This was a really yummy sandwich idli - I added the toppings of a veggie pizza - onions, tomatoes, bell peppers & green chili all sauteed into a dry curry.
For this version, I dispensed with all the thadka and made it simply with 2 cups of couscous and 2.5 cups of butternilk (actually 1 cup of yogurt and 1.5 cups of buttermilk) These babies can soak up as much buttermilk as you want to put in them - so all you need to is make the batter and cook asap.

Here are some pictures: Enjoy these idlis, for lunch, brunch, tiffin, breakfast or dinner.

these are beautiful dippy plates that we use to steam the Idlis

These babies can also be served with a freshly ground Coconut chutney, another staple side from South India - recipe to follow soon
Here is a sneak peak at it :)

Cupcake Craze 1 - Salted Caramel Cupcake With Caramel-Coffee Butter Cream Frosting

Some of you may have seen my pictures on FB of these delicious Cupcakes, but I am finally getting around to posting them on my blog -The "Sweet Inspiration"(read with Frensh accent) came from watching the Sweet Genius and a few episodes of the Cupcake Challenge.
For all those who love cupcakes, these are some of the best kind you can taste -but also be aware that this has no place in any "dieting" program :) This is indulgence at its highest, but I kid you not when I say it is hard to stop with one!  I got my recipe from a couple of sources; Sprinkle Bakes & 52 Kitchen Adventures, whose post popped up when I searched for caramel cupcakes. After tasting the cupcakes and adding my own "secret ingredient" instant coffee, I think my children declared me a "sweet genius" :) Let me add to this narrative that this has by no means been a summer of holding back, esp on the calorie front - But with kids on vacation  (they are back at school for the first day today) it was hard not to make them things thy like and appreciate - time enough for them to hold back on the yummier things of life - but I have shamelessly indulged in all of it as well and have the price to pay - more hours of gymming required to burn the cupcake lining on my belly off!  Today is the day when the sane and sober me kicks back into full gear - no more sweet indulgences for a while!

I followed the instructions verbatim as given by Sprinkle Bakes and they turned out really well - But I still want to claim my creative addition of coffee in the butter cream - that was Da Bomb!

For quick reference, here is the recipe as written by Sprinkle Bakes

Makes 15 Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with papers. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.  Add vanilla.  Mix and scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway full.  Bake for about 25 minutes. When done, transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Salted Caramel Filling:

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter cubed
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature

Melt the sugar over medium  high heat in a large pot.  Whisk the sugar as it melts and cook until it becomes a deep amber color. Add the butter and stir it in until melted. Pour in the heavy cream (mixture will foam) and whisk until you get a smooth sauce. You may have some lumps but keep stirring until they have melted.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  

Cut a small round piece out of the tops of each cooled cupcake and pour in 1 teaspoon of caramel.  Replace the cake piece and set cupcakes aside. (I did this with a apple corer - makes perfect holes in the middle :)

Salted Caramel/Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1tbsp instant coffee (I used Folgers)

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

Add  1tbsp of instant coffee powder and whip for an additional minute.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel.  Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes).  Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration.  If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny.  If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. 

Top caramel-filled cupcakes with frosting.

My Pictorial

Purimosas

This title is based purely on how this dish tasted - I have, as some of you may know, bought a pasta maker and I've been trying different kind of things with it - yes.... like a child with a new toy, I have been "playing" with it quite a bit and I am uber thrilled that I can make homemade pastas - fettuccine, spaghetti & lasagna. This machine is also perfect for making samosas - Since I used whole wheat for this preparation, the cover of the samosa ended up tasting a lot like pooris - and it was like we were having stuffed pooris which my daughter cleverly called Poorimosas - I loved the name :)

Here is a pictorial of how I made this but here is also a list of ingredients
Ingredients for cover shell
2 cups of chakki atta
1 handful of sooji or cream of wheat
1 cup of very warm water

For the stuffing
As I said in my earlier samosa post, the stuffing makes the samosa what it is. This time I went with
Carrots and peas
onions
green chilies
1 cup of grated paneer

The pictures are self- explanatory so I stop my writing here :) Enjoy this yummy treat anytime!