Pear Jam

We had bought some pears that turned out to be very sour. My attempts to sober them down with salt and chaat masala did not work.

So decided to add sugar and cook it up. This turned out as a great spread and went well with dry toast or plain crackers.

I did not add much for fear of overwhelming the pears' own exotic aroma .... just broke in some cinnamon sticks.

Need : Ripened pears chopped coarsely, sugar, cinnamon sticks, a little butter.

How to: Heat a pan and add a little butter and spread it well.

Now add the pears and the cinnamon and cover. Cook till half done.

Add the sugar and cook uncovered till all water dries up.

Tangy plum

I had some plum that we had bought so enthusiastically on our last grocery trip ... but they were way too sour to eat ... actually it is the skin that was so sour.

Did not know what to do with them .... and no ... am never in favour of spoiling and throwing away things.

Thought of making a chutney like the ones I do with mangoes / tomatoes.

Only this time I did not add any tempering like mustard seeds / curry leaves. With the barest minimum things I came up with something very different.

I had added sugar first .... but it was not enough ... still too sour ... so dunked in a good amount of gur / jaggery.

Went overboard and added a pinch of garam masala too. :-) Had no idea what was going to be the outcome.

Need : Plums (halved and not pitted ... u can if u want to), half a teaspoonful of oil ( yes, very little), sugar / jaggery (enough to make it sweet), a pinch of garam masala ( very little), very thinly sliced ginger and a little pinch of salt.

How to : Heat the oil in a non stick pan / kadhai. Add the plums and the salt and cook for a while.

Now add the sugar / jaggery, sliced ginger and the garam masala . If you like ginger, then be generous. It gives a beautiful flavour. Cook till all water dries up.

Ready !! :-) It actually turned out tasting great !!

Am sending this to Sunshinemom's even FIC Red. Since the pic does not do justice to the dish ... am apprehensive if it will qualify for red. At least it is natural colour. :-)

Keeping my fingers crossed. :-)

Aam ka Achaar (a trial)

With the monsoon coming we are running out on raw mangoes fast. So when I found some really firm raw mangoes on my grocery trip last weekend I picked 2 up. I had some prepared Achaar masala with me ... thanks to didi who made it for me on my last visit to her, and planned to utilise them before they go bad.

I cut up the mango into small pieces ... unfortunately could not deal with the huge seed with my flimsy knife ... so my achaar will not have any pieces I can chew on for a long time. :-(

Then I rubbed in salt into the pieces and kept them on a thick table napkin so that all the moisture is drained out. Then mixed in the masala and filled in a glass bottle.

Then I heated some mustard oil upto smoking point and let it cool completely. Added some hing into it and poured in the bottle of Achaar. The oil should cover the mangoes completely.
I have let it sit for around 5 days.

I am being showered with comments recently and am feeling good. Today Sailaja has tagged me for a Me Me.

I feel good to be in blogosphere ... and again I thank Rashmi for this. :-)

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?

I really can't remember ... it was long back .

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?

Am halfway Chetan Bhagat's "The 3 mistakes of my life" and am already hating it. :p

3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?

Scrabble
4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?

Good Housekeeping

5) FAVORITE SMELLS?

The fragrance of wet soil after a rain, Dida's fragrance(all old people have one), the fragrance in the air when winter approaches ... lots of them

6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?

A piano's notes, the sound of a storm,when my Bapi calls out to me

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

I have this strange worse kind of feeling ... no matter where I am ... when it is evening I feel like going home .. being at home (my childhood home).

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?

What to make for breakfast!

9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

None
10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?

I have at least 21 names in my mind ... :-))

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’...

Haven't thought of it ... but maybe i'll go shopping first ...

12)DO YOU DRIVE FAST?

No. Hubby says if it were left to me, I'd drive in 3rd gear throughout.

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?

Nah ... never done that too.
14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?

Cool... cool .... cool
15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?

Never owned a car ... dad and hubby do though ;-)

16) FAVORITE DRINK?

Coconut water

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…

Knit more

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?

No
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?

Black again ... my hair is turning brownish
20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Everywhere I have lived has been home.
21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

None
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

She has some very interesting recipes in her blog ... and always leaves encouraging comments.


23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?

Nothing
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??

Yes, with a little correction here and there ;-)


25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?

Night owl

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Both
27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
I am more relaxed when we go for weekend overnight trips to nearby coasts .

28) FAVORITE PIE?
Anything that is salty and spicy ... i don't like the sweet ones.
29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Tender coconut
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?

Since this is not a competetion anyone can take their own time and answer.
31) What are five things on my to-do list for today (non-work related)?
I don't have any such deadlines ...
32) What are five snacks I enjoy?
Chire bhaja
Masla muri
Buttered Cream Cracker biscuits
Chopped apple sprinkled with chaat masala
Peanuts roasted in butter and sprinkled with pepper powder

33) What things would I do if I were a billionaire?
Buy an island in Hawai ! :-))

Thanks Sailaja !!

Since am very new to this thing I don't even know what to do other than I should tag others. Since I now know these few good people am tagging them.

I hope any goof ups will be excused. I am tagging

Rashmi of Delhibelle

Bharti of Veggie Foodist

Swati of Chatkhor
Have a great time tearing your hair out guys!!

Aamras

Ever since I have started to blog I have been going thru a lot of other blogs ... enjoying recipes and writings, picking up certain things, learning all about events or just plain how to go about. Almost every blog has something written on Briana. Briana has been diagonised with cancer. And she is putting up a brave fight. Just look here for everything about Bri .

Learning about her has kind of shaken me.So much of difficulties, not to mention physical trauma....and so much courage.I may not know her ... but she is a person .. and needs people by her now.And so many people are rooting for her.I too felt like doing something ,however small. So took faltering steps .. visited Bee and Jai's Jugalbandi site, read up about Click and decided to send in an entry.


I maybe new here .. but one thing I have learnt ...if I need to know about something ... all I need is to ask. Delhibelle helped me with some usefull pointers and jugalbandi too replied to my queries.
Am no great photographer...but am trying. The colour for this month is Yellow .. for Bri. I decided what better than a mango. It is summer ... and the king of fruits is right here with us. Yellow at its purest form.... straight from nature....for Bri. No additives ....no other interventions.

We look forward to the torturous summers of India just to enjoy the king of fruits. Just as its colour and sweetness fill people with happiness , this Aamras is for Bri ...bright,colourful and sweet. Just as we wish all of Bri's days be filled with. And prayers for her health go with this too.
Get well soon Bri.

Aam ras : Take ripe mangoes of any variety. Peel and cut into chunks and churn in a blender.