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Friday, January 28, 2011

Photo Blizzz - 1


Canon 7D, Canon50mm f1.4


Ever since we bought the new lens I have been clicking photos of each and every nook and corner of the house.... I am find things around the house and start shooting it... It is wired at times... I probably have  hundreds of photos of my living room itself focusing on each objects...

I reached a point where I asked M, if I click photos at this rate, will it affect the performance of the lens or the camera....?


Canon 7D, Tamaron 17-50mm f2.8


Today morning I thought I will post some pictures to this blog...These are some of the favorite pictures ....
Canon 7D,  Tamaron 17-50mm f2.8



Canon 7D, Sigma 8-16mm f4.5


Hope you enjoyed it..:)


Sunday, January 16, 2011

Vegetable Cutlet


What is the best way to treat yourself when you are on a vegetarian drive...and the answer is a crunchy veggie cutlet that is shallow fried just enough to make a crispy layer...


In my experience cooking the vegetables without adding water yields the best result...They can be either steamed or can be cooked in microwave....
Any moisture developed during the process should be squeezed out using paper towels. This will help to hold cutlets together when they are shaped.  

I took the easy way and cooked the potatoes, peas and carrots separately in the microwave... then all I had to do was add it to the cooked masala, make small oval shaped patties..I got around 15 of them...



Dip those first into the maida binder and then coat them with bread crumbs....Shallow fry it on a hot oil until the surface is lightly browned and becomes crispy on both sides.....Now as soon as it cools down pop each of them in to your mouth and enjoy....:D

Recipe:
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1. Potato                 -  2 big (I used russet potatoes)
2. Carrots                -  1/2 cup
3. Green peas          -  1/2 cup

4. Ginger and Garlic   -  2 tbsp chopped and crushed
5. Onion                  -  1 big diced.
6. Green chili            -  2 chopped finely

7. Chilli powder         -  2 tsp
8. Coriander powder  -  1 tsp 
9. Turmeric powder   -  1/2 tsp
10. Masala powder    - 1 tsp (any masala like curry powder or garam masala)

11. Oil
12. Salt
13. Mustard seeds     - 1/2 tsp
14. Cumin seeds       - 1 pinch

15. All purpose flour    - 2 tbsp
16. Bread Crumbs       - 1/2 cup. 

Cook potatoes, peas, carrots separately in a microwave 
or 
Steam carrots and peas together until they are cooked. 
When they are cooled squeeze everything in a paper towel to remove all the excess moisture. 
Boil potatoes with skin and Once they are cooled peel the skin and mash it slightly. 

In a sauce pan add some oil, splutter mustard seeds. 
When they are popped add cumin seeds and wait for few seconds
Add ginger and garlic and saute just until they get lightly brown.
Add in the diced onions and green chili and saute until they are wilted.
Add turmeric, coriander powder and chili powder and saute till the raw smell goes and oil starts to appear.

Add little salt and add the cooked carrots and peas and mix everything together.
Check for salt and switch off the heat.
Add the mashed potatoes and bind everything together.

Once cooled, take small portions of it and shape them into desired form. I made 15 flat oval shaped patties.

In another bowl add some 3 tbsp of water and All purpose flour (or maida) to  make a batter. It shouldn't be too watery.

Heat some oil in a pan, add a drop of the batter to check if the oil is ready...The batter will sizzle and float instantly.

Now dip a patty in the batter and then roll in bread crumbs and slowly drop them into the hot oil. Continue the process.
Shallow fry them on each side until they are golden brown. 

Transfer them to a blotting paper. They will get slightly more darker.

I used a small frying pan that could fry maximum of 3 cutlets at a time. This way I used very little oil (around 1cm level in the saucepan) and half way through I added little more oil. 

These are best eaten soon after they are made. After a while it will loose its crunchiness.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Pickled Fish - Mixed Seafood

Happy New Year !!! Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year !!!


I was too lazy to type and post something on Christmas, New Year and the days before, after and in between that....There I said it... One of my New Years resolutions is to be less lazy and procrastinate only when I am completely and really really tired … I am taking one baby step at a time...


This vacation was really fun...we got a tiny snow shower, the temperature dropped down to minus degree...and I have been baking....Successful Baking...I made my mother's Butter Cake recipe and I have been devouring that (Its really great !!!!). Another highlight was this pickle.... I made this once before and loved every bit .... Pickle is something that comes as a savior when you are too lazy tired to make something...


First time when I made this, I didn't have all the ingredients and still it tasted exactly like the prawns pickle my mother sent me...So this time also I followed the ingredients and proportions I used initially...

Recipe :
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Adapted from : Yummy-O-Yummy. Please Check out the link to see the original recipe and for step by step pictorial instruction. 

1. Assorted Seafood -  500 gm/ 1 Lb (prawns, mussels, squid)
2. Garlic pods          -  3/4th cup
3. Ginger                -  1/2 cup  thinly sliced
4. Chilly powder       -  2 - 3 tbsp (or more/less)
5. Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
6. Vinegar               
7. Mustard seeds
8. Salt -  to taste
9. Oil - For deep frying
10. Turmeric powder, chili powder and salt for marinating fish pieces.

1. Wash and clean the fish pieces thoroughly.
2. Dry the fish pieces with kitchen paper.
3. Marinate the pieces with little turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Keep  it aside for half an hour.

4. Heat oil in a sauce pan enough to fry all the marinated fish pieces in batches.
5. When the oil is hot, fry the fish pieces in batches till it is cooked and browned lightly.

6. In the same oil fry garlic pods and ginger slices separately till it is browned. The oil will have the flavor from the fish. Set aside the shallow fried pieces.

7. Now add mustard seeds. When the spluttering is over, remove the pan from the heat source. Add chili powder, within 2-3 sec it will attain a darker shade. Now quickly add fried ginger, garlic and fish pieces and mix everything together.
Bring back to the heat source and stir for 3-4 min. Switch off the heat. Let it cool down. Don't cover the saucepan with lid !!

8. Take a clean and dry container. Make sure the container is really dry. Add the prepared pickle into the container.
Now add vinegar until all the pieces are just covered.
Before closing the lid, make sure everything is completely cooled down or else condensation may happen and introduce moisture.

9. Once everything is cooled down (2-3 hrs) close the lid and refrigerate it. After 2 weeks it will be ready to use. Keep it refrigerated.