The copy cat chain
Posted in: Uncategorized | Comments (1)
Yes, I have been missing from the blogging scene for sometime, reasons and recipes will follow soon 
But now- for some flashback. I had a chance to talk to Nithu last year when I posted about my recipe pictures copied and published by kumudam snegithi without giving us the credit. I did get feedback from fellow bloggers whose recipes and pictures were copied too.
We thought this would stop but again yesterday one of bloggers we know posted about her recipe published in kumudam snegithi without giving her the credit.
That was when we thought of writing a post about it and requesting fellow bloggers to make it a chain post. If you have been one of the victims of your recipes copied by any magazine, please join in. You can link to this post and Nithu’s and write about your experience with the publishers are so perfect in plagiarism! Only when you link we will know how many are affected by this.
My original post about the recipe that was copied:
One of the leading magazines in Tamilnadu-Kumudam Snegithi(meaning Friends) had a tip about cooking Bittergourd and I felt that the picture looked quiet familiar. What do you know, after all it was “borrowed” from my blog without even asking me, and I was wondering where my copyright declaration went to which is written straight across the photo. (Issue dated August 16-31, page 58)
The original photo link from my blog is here.
Please join in! Think about it, we create,cook, take pictures, add memories and write about it and someone copying it all- Do you agree with their professional behavior?
ruchikacook @ January 25, 2012
Toddler Yogurt Blends
Posted in: Bringing up Baby | Comments (11)
Yogurt is very healthy and can be introduced to babies after 6-7 months. Here in the US, though we are told not to feed the baby cow’s milk till one year old,the pediatrician recommends giving yogurt after 6 months of age. Since I make yogurt at home, I started giving R yogurt made with low fat milk and then with 2% milk.
When I first started yogurt for lil R, I gave just one teaspoon(1/2 tsp water with 1/2 tsp yogurt) to see if he likes the taste. Then I moved on to giving idlis with yogurt,rice with yogurt and then made yogurt blends as a snack/meal. This is a tasty and indirect way to introduce many fruits too!
Ingredients:
Thick Yogurt- 1/4 cup (Or 3-4 tbsp will be sufficient)
Apple- 1/4 of an apple(one slice is enough)
Salt- a dash
Method:
I usually pressure cook the finely chopped apple after removing the seed,core and the skin(just like how we make apple sauce). Then I mash the apple with a spoon.
Strain the yogurt with a cheese cloth or a fine filter(so that the yogurt is thick and not runny). I do not add the yogurt till I am about to give R his food as it will make the apple sauce thin.
When you are ready to feed, mix the thick yogurt with the apple sauce, add a dash of salt, mix well and feed your toddler!
Other options for fruit blends are:
Peaches(Peel the skin and cook) and mix with yogurt
Pears(Peel the skin,remove the core,cook) and mix with yogurt
Berries like Strawberries and blueberries(cooking is not required)
Banana(cooking is not required)
Check with your pediatrician and if you like you can also add a dash of honey to the blend! Gives it a new taste and at this age, toddlers love to taste new flavors and foods.
ruchikacook @ December 8, 2011
Coconut Milk Masala Vegetable Pulao in Cooker
Posted in: Gluten Free, Rice Dishes | Comments (10)
I have previously made a different type of pulao by following this recipe last year. But when I came across this chicken biryani recipe in Solai aunty’s blog, I thought of making it with vegetables. The ground masala is aromatic and it gives this pulao an authentic restaurant taste! I thought that the name pulao suits is better than biryani, so here goes!
Ingredients(Serves-2)
Basmati rice: 1 cup
Mixed vegetables(carrots, peas,cauliflower,beans)- all together 1 cup
Finely chopped onions-1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Garam Masala powder- 1 tsp
Butter/Ghee/Oil- 2 tbsp
Coconut milk- 1 cup
Water- 1 cup
Bay leaf-2
Cilantro leaves- to garnish
Masala:
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
(or use 1″ piece of ginger and 5 pods of garlic)
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Green chilies-4 to 5
Cinnamon- 1/2″ piece
Mint leaves- a handful
Cloves-2
Cardamom-2
Method:
Wash and soak rice with water for atleast 15 minutes.
Grind all the ingredients given under the masala section- first make a coarse paste then add water(3-4 tbsp) and make it into a thick,smooth paste.
I make this rice in my pressure pan cooker, so I directly add everything in it, if you want you can also make it in a rice cooker, but just do the stir frying in a pan and then transfer the contents to a rice cooker, cook it with rice like a normal rice cooker mode.
Heat butter/ghee in a cooker, add bay leaf, finely chopped onions,salt and stir fry well till onions turn translucent. Then add other vegetables,continue stir frying for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground masala paste(now the aroma of real pulao comes out),stir fry to coat the vegetables with the masala.
Drain water from the rice, add it to the masala and vegetables, stir fry gently for another 3-4 minutes and add coconut milk. What I usually do is to cook the rice with diluted coconut milk (1 cup water and 1 cup coconut milk)instead of using one entire can of coconut milk. You can use plain water or full coconut milk to cook the rice, it is up to you. Just remember that you may need to spice up the pulao by adding 1/4 tsp more masala powder or add another green chili to the masala paste if you use coconut milk to cook the rice.
After adding coconut milk, mix once, cover the pressure cooker with its lid, put on the weight and cook till one whistle(8-10 minutes) on medium flame.
Wait for another 10 minutes to release the pressure, garnish the rice with cilantro leaves and serve hot with any raitha!
The original recipe calls for red chilies in the masala, instead of that I used garam masala powder. N is not a big fan of cinnamon flavor so I have made this pulao omitting that in the masala too, and it still tastes great!
ruchikacook @ December 2, 2011
Pasta with Chickpeas/Kale and Pesto
Posted in: Pasta | Comments (6)
This recipe is from our East coast days. A friend of mine makes delicious food of every kind you can imagine and I had this at her place along with roasted vegetables. This is one of the recipes that I make at home often now, I just throw in the pasta to cook in one stove, saute onions and chickpeas in another-open up a bottle of pesto and dinner is done in 20 minutes
You can make this recipe in different ways, either with kale and pesto, or with kale and chickpeas or with pesto and chickpeas.Tastes great with any of the combinations and you can serve it warm or even as a cold salad.
Ingredients:
Penne pasta Or Spagetti- 1 pack
Chopped onions-1/4 cup
Finely chopped kale- 1/2 cup
Garbanzo beans(chickpeas)-1/4cup
Garlic- Finely chopped- 1 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Olive oil- 3 tbsp
Sauce combinations:
Option 1: Use Pesto sauce(I used Giada’s made with pinenuts and basil,about 6 oz)
or
Option 2: Basil leaves, red pepper flakes and black pepper powder.
Method:
This recipe tastes great when the kale is fresh. Kale should look very bright green in color, not dull/yellow/dark green color(that will be bitter). I suggest picking up fresh kale from farmers market or from whole foods if you want to try this recipe. I did not use kale on the day I took pictures, but I do add kale to the pasta as one of the combinations.
I used penne today to make this recipe, and sometimes I use angel hair or spaghetti.
Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped onions,garlic and salt. When onions are about to turn translucent, add the chopped kale and stir fry for another 4-5 minutes(if you are adding kale). Add the garbanzo beans and pesto sauce(if you are using pesto sauce). If you are not using pesto sauce, season with freshly ground black pepper,basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain.
Transfer the pasta to the pan with onions and pesto. Gently mix them. Switch off the stove. Serve either hot with a soup or as a salad with some nicely toasted garlic bread.
ruchikacook @ November 27, 2011
