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Sabtu, 27 Desember 2008

Poor Claudius Cookies

I saw this today on poor_claudius: Gingerbread Emperors!

Gingerbread Emperors!

I guess this is what happens when my friends and I bake Christmas cookies while watching "I, Claudius".



Top row: Augustus, Livia (with poisoned fig), grumpy Tiberius
Bottom row: Caligula (exposing himself), Claudius (with slightly damaged foot), and Nero.

Nero's awesome fiddle was made by [info]elanya out of a tiny snowman-shaped cookie.

Happy Holidays, everyone!


Via poor_claudius: Gingerbread Emperors!

Rabu, 10 Desember 2008

Avocado Shopping

We also ought to be banned from buying avocados, as I can never catch that minute between green, alligator-skinned rocks and smooshy mess, and I feel ridiculously wasteful every time I throw them away. We were better off in China, when we would carry our avocados and gouda back from Jenny Lou’s, and then wait, checking the avocados for that perfect sandwich ripeness each time before we went out for dumplings.


Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Victory Milk

Sabtu, 06 Desember 2008

Twitter Soup

Saw this on Beth Dunn's blog, small dots, and it's an awesome blend of budget cooking and tech geekery. Best line:

But in hard times, I can’t. I need to rely more on noodles and ramen, less on nori and rabe.
The whole thing's worth a read.

Via stone soup « small dots

Rabu, 03 Desember 2008

Testing Jelly Without A Candy Thermometer

Elise.com has a simple way to see if the jelly's ready to jell using cold plates. Yay! Because I don't have a candy thermometer lying around.

orange-marmalade-16.jpg

Too runny to be ready

It's wrinkly, so it's ready

....Put several small plates into the freezer. As the jelly temperature exceeds 218°F, start testing it by placing a small amount of the hot jelly on a chilled plate. If the jelly spreads out and thins immediately, it isn't ready. If it holds its shape a bit, that's a good sign. Push up against it with your finger tip. If the jelly sample wrinkles at all, it is time to take the jelly off the heat and pour it out into jars.


Between this and my last post, you can probably guess what I'm making!

Via Seville Orange Marmalade Recipe | Simply Recipes

Selasa, 02 Desember 2008

Canning Adventures

Just in case it's not clear what I'm cooking:
I was making cranberry relish yesterday when Stick came into the kitchen and looked hungrily at the jars I was filling.

“You can eat the one on the left, ’cause I screwed up the seal.” I told him, hoping to deter him from sticking a spoon in the boiling cranberry-orange goo.

“Great,” he said. “You make jam and save the botulism for me.”

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Secret Ingredient

Blanch Three Times

 Jenyu.net has a recipe for candied orange peels which is awesome in itself AND solves my problem with marmalade and so forth, where the white part of citrus fruits makes everything bitter.

Some recipes tell you to remove the pith, but without the pith you are
left with not a lot of orange peel even though it may not technically
be part of the peel. I think the concern is that the pith makes the
peel bitter. You can remedy the bitterness by blanching the peels.



blanch the strips of peel three times

(I know what blanch means but this picture is pretty)

Via use real butter » Blog Archive » candied orange peels

Minggu, 30 November 2008

Caramel Apple Crack

Not something I can cook, but something I really like: Starbucks' Apple Crack!

I don’t know if the Starbucks in China has this, because I was too busy slurping up all the real-bean coffee and then getting the jitters. I don’t know what’s in it, either. I asked Stick and he thinks maybe it’s sunshine and rainbows and highly addictive chemicals.

Note: This is not a paid advertisement, but if Starbucks would pay me I would totally advertise the Apple Crack. In fact, I’d even call it by its proper name.

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Thanksgiving

Mario and Princess Peach

Another geeky gem from Cake Wrecks. What is it about the combination of sugar and gaming that makes these cakes so perfect?
Yes, it's a Mario wedding cake. (With a cake like this, I bet the bridesmaid dresses weren't too bad!) And here is the fondant duo that replaces the usual (LAME!) cake topper.


Go over to Cake Wrecks to see more amazing photos.

Jumat, 28 November 2008

Soy Sauce And Garum

I saw this today on Fussy

From Larousse Gastronomique
Soy Sauce

The
following is taken from a traditional Chinese recipe. Boil 2.5 kg (5
1/2 lb. 13 cups) soya beans in water until they are reduced to a puree.
Add 1 kg (2 1/4 lb. 9 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour and knead well to
produce a thick dough. Leave in a cool dark place for 2 days, then hang
the container in a draught for a week. When a yellow mould appears on
the dough, place a jar containing 5 litres (8 1/2 pints, 5 1/2 quarts)
water and 1.5 kg (3 1/4 lb. 5 2/3 cups) salt in a sunny place. When the
water is warm to the touch, put the dough into the jar. Leave this
uncovered for a month, pounding the mixture vigorously every day with a
stick. The mixture will turn black as it ages.

Leave for 4-5
months without stirring or covering the jar, unless the weather is bad,
in which case the jar should be covered. Decant and store the sauce in
hermetically sealed bottles.
Who the hell thought this up,
is what I want to know. Who thought, Hmm, I need some salty black
delicious liquid to dip my dumplings in, maybe I'll just punch some
dough with a stick and then leave it out back until spring? Well,
whoever it was, whether individual or collective, I do thank you.
Because we're having sushi tonight.

I have to wonder if that's what garum would have been like.

Via Fussy

Selasa, 25 November 2008

Cashew Chicken Curry

I started with this recipe for Chicken Curry with Cashews from Epicurious.com, but then started to modify the ingredients

* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
* 2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
* 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
* 3 tablespoons curry powder
* 2 teaspoons salt -- I used garlic salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes -- I used tomato paste since I don't like the texture of tomatoes. Odd, I know.
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
* 3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt


* Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice
* Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Saute onions, garlic, and ginger,
in butter, in a wok.  (note to self: am I able to cook anything w/out a wok?)

Add curry, garlic salt,
cumin, paprika and cook, stirring.

Add chicken, chopped mushrooms, 1/2 a potato, cilantro and stirfry.

Then add tomato paste and yogurt, simmer until it looks like curry.

Serve over rice!

Via Chicken Curry with Cashews Recipe at Epicurious.com

Sabtu, 22 November 2008

Sushi Proposal

I saw this today on the Engrish Brog:

I recently received this cute email from a happy woman named Christin

My boyfriend proposed to me last
weekend after 7 years - we frequent a local sushi restaurant in our
area a few times a month (sometimes more), so it was very fitting that
he popped the question at the sushi place.  The miss-spelling only
added to the charm of it all, I just had to share.



Let’s happy marriage!




I would have said yes, too. Sushi and jewelry, what's not to love? Plus I could tease him about the misspelling for years to come!

Via An Engrish Engagement… | Engrish Brog

Rabu, 19 November 2008

Staying Fit My Way

My Usual Workout Routine

10 Go to the gym

20 Overdo workout in an attempt to cancel out unhealthy lifestyle

30 Go home achy and sore

40 Skip the gym because my stupid workout hurt me

50 Feel bad about not going recently and resolve to do a really good workout

60 Go to line 20

Via Simpson’s Paradox : Line 70 is “Become Smoking Hot”

Minggu, 27 Januari 2008

Easy Vegeterian Recipes and Fun Cooking!

I started this blog quite a while back. I can trace back the first post here. I blogged many recipes so far, gained me a few pounds from eating all those stuff that blogged. Most of the recipes were found to be interesting by quite a number of visitors. I do have a list of the recipes that I blogged on the side bar, but I will make it more easier by posting some of the good recipes blogged so far. Feel free to browse them, cook them and share how it come out if you happen to cook them :)

Let us start with some of the Vegetarian Recipes:


  • Paneer Mattar Masala curry
  • This was a simple paneer recipe that can never go wrong. Nothing fancy, just a good Paneer Curry. But the real winner in this recipe is How I prepared the paneer or cottage cheese from scratch. yes, you can quite easily make paneer at home.


  • Simple Palak Paneer
  • This is another Paneer recipe. A real easy palak paneer. Again, nothing fancy, and it doesn't really look like the palak paneer you get at restaurants. I have simplified this so that anyone one can cook it in less than half an hour. Enjoy!

    I also have some kick ass Halwa Recipes. Halwa is an Indian Sweet dish, that can be had as a dessert, or breakfast, or even a snack. Indians do love sweet snacks.

  • Gajjar ka Halwa
  • This is an easy way of making Gajjar ka Halwa. Gajjas or Carrot is grated and cooked in Milk and butter, with dried fruits to add that special thing.

  • Beet ka Halwa
  • Quite similar to the carrot halwa, but with Beet and this also taste just awesome.

  • White Peas Cooked with baking soda

  • Ootti ver 2.0
  • I actually blogged the above recipe twice. It is a Manipuri delicacy called "Ootti". A real wonning recipe that tastes awesome with rice or Khichdi, and even Puri.

  • Rice Kheer
  • This is something like Rice Porridge, again an Indian Sweet dish that is had as dessert or even breakfast. Rice cooked in milk and flavored with raisins and what not.

  • Peanut Palak Saag
  • This is a simple spinach or palak recipe. A unique combination of spinach and peanuts. I am sure you haven't had this before. Try it and tell me if you liked it.

  • Gobi Pakoda

  • This is a simple recipe of Cauliflower Fritters, cauliflower dipped in a spicy batter of gram flour and deep fried. Great as a beer snack or just something to snack on on a rainy afternoon.

    Similar fritters that I blogged:
  • Veg Pakoda

  • Potato Fritters

  • Excuse the prawn recipe in between the veg recipes. I blogged the recipe for both vegeterians and non vegeterians. Same batter, different dips!


  • Pakoda Kadhi
  • And curry made out of the fritters.


  • Gobi Manchurian
  • This is a faux Chinese recipe that is very popular in India. This is a vegeterian chicken manchurian, only with cauliflowers in place of the Chicken.

  • Chole Masala
  • Chole masala cooked in a very simple way. the recipe is very easy to follow. Don't write it down, just remember the steps and try it. Chole is type of chick peas white in color and bigger than the usual chick pea.

  • Mashed Potato
  • Who said Indians don't eat mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are very popular in the eastern part of Indian, and is a very popular cuisine. Here is an easy recipe of the Indian mashed potato.


  • Easy Daal Recipes
  • Eating daals or boiled grams with every meal, daal can become quite a bore. But spice it up, and it is an awesome dish. Check out my daal recipes.


  • French Beans cooked with Coconuts
  • If you have been to Bangalore, you must have come across the French beans side dish that is cooked with grated coconut. Truth be told, that is the only way I like my beans, other the steamed beans served with steaks.

  • Sarson Da Saag
  • Now, what is this? Well, as a food blog, that mostly cooks Indian Recipes, passing over Sarsong ka saag would have been a sacrilege. Well, this is the famous Sarsong ka saag. I have simplified the recipe without diluting the flavour. You could call it stir fried mustard greens.


  • Aloo Karela
  • Bitter Gourd or karela as the name suggests is bitter, Kaput! Slow fry it with some onions and potatoes, and it becomes a very elegant bitter sweet side dish that is extremely healthy, trust me.

  • Loki Masala
  • I don't quite like the usual curry of loki or water gourd, but I have a simple recipe that I sometimes cook and I don't actually mind.

  • Veg Korma
  • A list of vegeterian recipes will be incomplete with the Vegetable Korma recipe eh! This is a mixed Vegeterian curry.

  • Coconutty Cabbage
  • This is a fry cooked cabbage recipe flavored with grated coconut. Quite light on the stomach!


  • Cabbage and peas
  • A quickie side dish you can cook in 10 minutes from peas and cabbage

  • Aloo Gobi
  • I love aloo gobi subzee, the dish made by slow cooking potatoes and cauliflower in vegetable oil. Try adding some chick peas, and you get a distinctly different Aloo Gobi.


  • Gobi Curry
  • One more cauliflower recipe!

  • Aloo Jeera
  • The ubiquitous Aloo Jeera, or potatoes fried with cumin seed. This is a real quickie dish that I can whip up in 10 minutes.

    Below is a list of Khichdi Recipes that I blogged:
  • Green Moong Khichdi
  • Many people tried and loved this actually!
  • Simple Khichdi recipe with ghee



  • Simple Khichdis that I cooked when I was sick.
  • Low fat, low spice!

  • Rajma Masala
  • Rajma Chawal is the favorite of most Indians, a comfort food, a food that many Indians living away from home misses the most. Chawal is easy, but you can also easily make a great Rajma Dish. Now don't put too much onions please. Half an onion fried till golden brown for a pound of Rajma.

  • Stuffed Capsicum
  • Have you not tried my stuffed capsicum yet? You will love it!



  • Capsicum Zhunka
  • Another capsicum recipe I learnt when in Mumbai. Great Maharashtrian recipe.
  • Veg Biryani
  • A simple and quick vegeterian Biryani!

  • Dum Aloo
  • A quick and simple Dum Aloo recipe.

  • Palak Daal
  • And this is another daal recipe. Toor daal with spinach!