Gas gase or khus khus or poppy seeds are supposed to have a cooling effect on the body. Until recently, I had not seen any recipes which had this spice as the main ingredient. I heard about these for the first time from my Kannada colleagues. I found this recipe in a Kannada book, since I love tamblis (they are fast, easy and tasty), I prepared this. It tasted great, a very nice change to everyday gravies.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup poppy seeds 1/4 tea spn tamarind extract 3-4 red chillies 1 cup yogurt A pinch turmeric 1″ piece ginger Salt
Method: Roast poppy seeds for few minutes(this step is optional but gives a nice aroma). Grind to a smooth paste with ginger, red chillies, tamarind, turmeric, salt. Cook the paste for few minutes. Now take off the heat and add well beaten yogurt(this can be done after the paste cools to room temperature). Do not heat/reheat after adding yogurt. Serve with rice.
Serves : 2 Preparation time : 10mins
Many of you know about my love for baking. I love the aroma of baking bread and a fresh bread just out of oven tastes heavenly. I normally make spicy breads as we both enjoy them a lot. This recipe was in my drafts for a long time now, finally thought of posting it today.
I had read about zucchini bread in many recipe books/sites/blogs. I zeroed on one particular recipe from a book, but it was a sweet bread. I was in no mood to make a sweet bread, so I started changing it to make it a non-spicy, non-sweet bread. It came out very soft, fluffy and very tasty. I had actually baked it for the next day’s breakfast but finished it as soon as it came out of oven :). I served this with sun dried tomato pesto.
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 Egg 1 cup grated zucchini 1 tbl spn active dry yeast 1 tbl spn chopped fresh basil 1/2 tea spn finely chopped ginger 1 tea spn sugar 1/4 cup water 2 tea spns olive oil 1 tea spn salt
Method: Heat the water till it is luke warm. Add yeast, sugar, salt. Leave aside for 10mins till it becomes frothy. Now add all other ingredients and mix (If it is too sticky, add more flour). Knead for few minutes till it becomes a smooth dough. Apply olive oil inside a big vessel and transfer the dough. Leave the vessel in a warm place for about 2hrs till the dough doubles in volume. Take the dough on clean surface and press it down. Shape it to desired shape, keep on baking tray and leave for another 30mins till it increases in volume again. Preheat the oven for 350F for about 10mins. Bake the bread at 350F for about 40mins or till it is baked.
