28 octobre 2009
Potager du Roi / King's Kitchen Garden, Versailles.
Potager du Roi
In 1670, King Louis XIV appointed Jean-Baptiste La Quintinie (1624-1688) as the director of the royal fruit & vegetable garden. As per his request he constructed a vegetable garden in a swampland popularly known as "l'Etang puant / Stinky Pond. The site was drained & filled with the rich soil from the Satory hills . The renowed architect, Mansart constructed the garden's terraces & walls. The garden is structured around a cental area called "Le Grand carré / Grand Square. The Grand square is again divided into 16 small squares organised around a circular fountain. Behind the walls there are 12 fruit tree gardens ( Apple & Pears).
The King's Kitchen Garden covers 9 hectares of fruit & vegetable gardens at the heart of Versailles. Every year, this garden produces 40 tons of fruit & 25 tons of vegetables. At present this garden is conserverved by National School of Horticulture- ENSP. This garden is in the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The Potager du Roi and the Cathedral Saint-Louis 
Beans Garden
Pumpkin Garden
Tubers & Salads
Tomatoes & Chillies
To see the enlarged pictures just click - Album photos suburbs of Paris o
http://aarathi78.canalblog.com/albums/__photos_des_yvelines___/index.html
26 octobre 2009
Koki - Sindhi's Roti
KOKI
Ingredients
500 g flour
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp salt
2 green chillies (chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
1 tbsp crushed cumin seeds
1 tbsp crushed dried pomegranate-anardana seeds(optional)
Chopped coriander leaves
200 ml water
Oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients & keep aside 1 hour.
Make evenly sized balls.
Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it using a roller.
Heat non stick pan . Spread oil on it .
Cook the roll out paratha.
Spread some oil & press the edges.
Flip & cook the other side.
Repeat the process with other balls.
Serve hot with veg / non veg curry.
This is the traditional breakfast item of Sindhi's.
23 octobre 2009
Enjoy Street Bharathanatyam by Jai Khalsa
Ganesha Pushpanjali by Jai - A dance in honor of Lord Ganesha, the elephant God, who is the remover of obstacles.
Click & appreciate this talented non desi dancer
Apple Fondant / Fondant aux Pommes
Apple Fondant
Ingredients
4 apples (peel,core & thinly sliced using a mandoline)
20g butter
50g sugar
50g flour
20g custurd powder
10 cl milk (luke warm)
2 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
A pinch of salt & cinnamon powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream together the butter, sugar & salt .
Add beaten eggs.
Sieve the flour and baking powder together and fold into the cake mixture.
Dilute custurd powder in luke warm milk.
Add this along with apple alices & mix well.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30-35 mn.
Serve with tea.
16 octobre 2009
Coconut Almond Rolls - Happy Diwali !
Coconut Almond Rolls
Ingredients
225 g dessicated coconut
125g icing sugar
3 tbsp condensed milk
A pinch of saffran / yellow colour
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Filling
10g butter
25 almonds
2 tbsp sugar
Method
Heat a sauce pan & mix the first four ingredients.
Stir continuosly on medium heat.
When the mixture becomes thick add cardomom powder.
Remove from heat & let it cool for 15mn.
Coarsely grind almonds alonsg with sugar.
Add butter & cardomom powder.
Roll as shown in the photo.
Pat the coconut mixture on a plastic wrapusing a spatule.
Place the roll out almond mixture in the middle.
Roll in the plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Cut in slices & serve your loved ones.
13 octobre 2009
Aloo Kachori - A Rajasthani Snack
Potato Kachori
Ingredients
500 g flour
200 ml water
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
oil for frying
Filling
4 medium size potatoes (Quartered)
2 onions (thinly sliced)
2 green chillies (half slit)
A piece of ginger (chopped)
1 leek (thinly sliced)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp musturd seeds
1 tsp urud dal seeds
Curry leaves / coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method
Boil the quartered potatoes in salted water until tender (20 mn).
Drain & let it cool.
Peel , mash it & keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Splutter musturd seeds.
Add urud dal & fry .
Fry chopped onions till light golden brown.
Add sliced leek, chillies & ginger.
Fry for a while & add tumeric powder & salt.
Add water & simmer for 10mn.
When the water has dried up, add the mashed potatoes.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves & keep aside.
***
Mix first three ingredients & knead well.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth & keep aside for 1 hour.
Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it using a roller( 8/10 cm discs).
Place the filling in the middle & wrap it with greased hand.
Flatten the ball with ur palm & keep aside
Repeat the process with other dough balls.
Heat plenty of oil.
Gently slip kachori's in hot oil.
When it pops fully, splash hot oil on the top.
Turn over & fry the other side.
Remove using a slotted spoon & drain on a kitchen paper.
Serve hot with chutney of ur choice.
Kachori's can be served as a starter / for tea.
12 octobre 2009
Words By Boyzone - RIP Stephen Gately
Song: Words by Boyzone.
Album: A Different Beat 1996.
08 octobre 2009
Leek- Beans Stir Fry
Leek- Beans Stir Fry
Ingredients
3 leeks thinly sliced
100 g french beans (chopped)
1 onions (chopped)
1/2 tsp musturd seeds
1/2 tsp urud dal seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp water
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Curry leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan.
Splutter musturd seeds & then fry urud dal seeds to light brown
Then add chopped onions & fry till light golden brown.
Add chopped beans along with chilli powder, tumeric powder & salt.
Then add leek & stir fry for 5 min.
Cover & cook for 2 min, with 2 tbsp water.
Garnish with curry leaves & serve with rice.
02 octobre 2009
Brownies
Brownies
Ingredients
60g flour
150g sugar
150g butter
3 eggs
250g black chocolate
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Chopped pecan nuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Method
Break the chocolate bar & add 2 tbsp water.
Melt in microwave oven 2 mn.
Add butter & mix well.
In another bowl beat eggs & sugar.
Sieve the flour& fold into the cake mixture.
Add chocolate butter mixture, chopped nuts & mix well.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan(rectangular).
Preheat oven to -Th 180°C &. bake for 15mn.
Turn off the oven & let it remain inside for another 5 mn.
Cool , cut in squares & serve with tea.
