Review: Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments

After a long thought about investing in an immersion blender, I decided to go with the Cuisinart Smart Stick mainly because I loved the sleek finish of the hand blender and also because it came with a small chopper attachment that will eliminate the need to reach out to my big food processor for cutting onions, veggies and such.

I am very happy with the blender cause it makes making soups, smoothies and bisque(s) a breeze.Take this creamy red lentil soup that I made a few days ago-- it went from coarse/chunky to creamy in a matter of 5-10 seconds. I didn't have to wait for it to cool down, pour into a blender and do it in batches.Totally love the mixing/measuring cup with graduated markings. The chopper isn't the best of best and the whisk could be a little heavier. But if you are looking for a moderately priced, elegant and efficient hand blender for soups, smoothies and bisque you can invest in this Cuisinart smart stick hand blender, available at csnstores.com for $50 bucks with Free Shipping.

Creamy Red Lentil Soup, a simple and satisfying winter indulgence. The beautiful porcelain footed rice/cereal bowl that you see in the pictures are from csnstores too. I got 6 for $30 bucks.I eat my morning cereals, rice and noodle lunch, soups in the multi-taking bowl that is just the right size for me.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Red Lentils, Cleaned and drained of water
• 2 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 2 Small Tomatoes
• 1/2 Large Onion
• 1 Dry Red Chili(2 if you are up for it)
• 2 Stalks Mint
• 3 Cups Water or  2 Cups Water + 1 Cup Milk
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• In a soup pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil.
• Add the chopped onions and mint leaves. Saute till the onions are translucent.

• Throw in the vegetables, chili and fry for 2 minutes.
• Drain the cleaned lentils and add it to the pan.

• Pour water or water-milk combo and bring the contents to a boil with lid-on.
• Add salt some 15 minutes later, check for taste and puree the contents using an immersion blender.

• Transfer the creamy soup into a serving bowl. 

Makes 4 Generous Servings.

Enjoy!

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Review: "Anjum's New Indian" Cookbook Review + Maharashtrian Goda Masala

Who is Anjum Anand? This very same question was on my mind some 6 months ago. But that was before I became enamored to her "Indian Cooking made easy" show on Cooking channel, spin-off of Food Network. She may be relatively less-known in the US but she is a superstar in UK. And she has been famously dubbed as the "Indian Nigella Lawson" and Television's Tastiest Chef. :)

Anjum's New Indian cookbook is the latest offering from this extremely talented chef cum author. When I was asked to do a book review, I was eager to get my hands on the very handsome paperback book that is filled with plenty of easy to cook regional recipes from all over India. These recipes are backed up by page after page of gorgeous color photography. Whether you are a meat lover or a vegetarian eater, there are plenty of recipes to whet everyone's appetite. The book is neatly organized into chapters like Light Meals and Snacks, Fish and Seafood, Chicken, Meat, Vegetables and Dessert. The recipes have crisp and clear instructions that even a novice cook can follow.All of the recipes use easily available ingredients that one can find in the Supermarket/Asian stores. Additionally this 256-pages book has an alphabetical list of useful terminology, a glossary if you will, that is a big plus for anyone who is relatively new to Indian Cooking. Overall this book is a bonafide hit. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try fuss-free Indian recipes at home.So what are you waiting for? Now that holiday season is almost upon us, make sure to get a copy of this book for yourself and for your friends/family from here.

Look forward to seeing more recipes from Anjum's New Indian. Here is a recipe for a Masala that Anjum uses in many of her recipes in the book-

Anjum's Maharashtrian Goda Masala(Spice Powder):
This is a very fragrant mixed spice powder that can be used to flavor a bunch of curries, khorma and such.This is a very popular masala powder used in the state of Maharashtra. Anjum suggests to store this masala in an air-tight container and finish off within 3 months. Warning: This is quite an intense mix of blend. So less is more.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp Dessicated Coconut Flakes
• 2 Tbsp White Sesame Seeds
• 7 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
• 1 Tsp Black Peppercorns
• 1 Star Anise
• 2 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
• 8 Cloves
• 2 Black Cardamom Pods
• 1 Large Dry Red Chili
• 1 3" Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Stalk Curry Leaves(Optional)
• 1 1/2 Tsp Olive Oil

Procedure:

• Dry fry these ingredients "separately" until they are browned: Coconut, Sesame Seeds, Coriander Seeds.
• Heat the oil in a thick shallow skillet.
• Add all the other ingredients and stir till they start emitting aroma and the cumin seeds are dark brown in color. (Watch out for hot splashes from the pan as the Peppercorns start splitting)

• Cool the ingredients and add them to a blender.
• Grind them into a fine powder.

• Store the powder in an air-tight container for upto 3 months.

Taro Root Fry using Goda Masala:

Ingredients:

• 12 medium Taro Root, fully cooked but firm to touch
• 1 Tsp Goda Masala
• 1 Tsp Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• Salt for taste
• 1 Stalk Curry leaves, optional
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Procedure:

• Peel and halve the cooked Taro.
• Heat the oil in the pan.Add the mustard seeds. Once they start sputtering, add the cut taro.

• Saute them until they start to brown in spots.

• Sprinkle the Masala powder, Cracked Pepper and salt.
• Splash a little water and fry gently until they are really browned and crisped at the edges.

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe: Meet my new "Staub" Grill pan + Grilled Turkey Burger

World renowned chefs Paul Bocuse, Thomas Keller, Jean Joho, Joel Robuchon and I have something in common. Nope, certainly not the culinary talent. Then????? What I meant is that I have joined the ranks of  these chefs by acquiring the "Staub" line of cookware. A Staub Grill Pan to be specific! Now that the temperature is slowly falling,atleast in the North-east, its a perfect time for me to move the party indoors. So an indoor grill pan that can be used on the stove top and in the conventional oven is perfect choice item for "right now" and "round the year". Thanks to CSN Stores for allowing me to pick this item to write a review about. If by the end of this post you are impressed with this pan, hurry up and get it here as its on sale for $100 bucks.
I don't have to tell about the Staub brand..If you ask someone in the culinary industry this is what they would say -- Le Creuset is for the masses, Staub is for those in the know. Enough said.

 

 

So What is so special about this pan?The pan is made with the best durable cast-iron(Pay Attention Vegetarians and Anemic People) with a removable silicone handle. The feature I love the best about this is that it has 2 spouts to drain all the drippings. And most importantly knife resistant. And it gets better and better with use because the oils when used while cooking permeate the minuscule pores and create a natural, smooth non-stick surface. How cool is that? 

 

Now on to the recipe..

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Cups Ground meat of choice ( I used Ground Turkey)
• 2 stale Whole wheat bread, toasted and crumbed
• 1/2 cup Yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup Mint and Cilantro, finely chopped and packed
• 5 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 3 Hot Green Chilli or 1 Jalapeno
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 3/4 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Cracked pepper or more
• 1 Egg, whisked
• 1/2 tsp Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Mix all the ingredients in a wide bowl. 
• Knead with hands just enough until they are all combined.
• Shape the meat- mixture into even sized balls(12-13) and gently press them to form patties.
• Oil and the heat the grill pan.
• Grill the patties on medium flame(Gas Mark 5) for 6-7 minutes per side. 
• Serve it with any fixings of choice.

Makes 12-13 mid-sized patties.

For the Mango-Cucumber Tzatziki/Raita:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Raw Mango, grated
• 3/4 Cup Cucumber, grated
• 1/4 Cup Onion, finely chopped
• 21/2 Cups Thick Yogurt
• 1 tsp Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Cracked Cumin seeds
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until serving.

This is how I ate my  Burger - With a middle-eastern flair..

 

Enjoy!
Some Reposts for AWED:Turkey hosted at Janet's.

• Turkish Borek

• Turkish Sugar Cookie "SekerPare"

• Turkish Tabbouleh "Kisir"

• Turkish Style Mashed-potatoes stuffed mushrooms

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ReviewAndARecipe: Great Ideas for riding the heatwave

Yeah, this is obviously the first choice..Plenty of freshly made juice or crisp cold water to quench that thirst that seems never-ending at this point.

Or it could be just chilling indoors underneath this budget-friendly/eco-friendly fan..Did you know that "moving air" is at-least a few degrees cooler than "still air". Instead of relying on air conditioners alone use ceiling fans to save on electricity bills.

This gyro style twin-turbo fan with its antique finish has stolen my heart ..doesn't it look awesome? The whole system turns thrice per minute all the while the twin high-speed fans rotate in different directions for some serious air circulation.

At work, use this awesome tropical-themed portable fan that has you dreaming of White sandy beach, balmy island breeze and tropical trees..

Have your outdoor party at dusk,under this lighted Oasis umbrella and entertain your guests with Fruit Spritzers and Tropical Fruit Pops.

People who only have a small balcony/patio can still enjoy warm weather evenings with this beautiful, serene looking coppery solar lanterns with state-of-the-art LED technology that takes advantage of all the sunlight at daytime and does some good to the planet without using any fossil fuel.

For more information on the lighting and fans mentioned in this post, check out this CSN store.
Direct Links:
Polished Brass Fan
Gyro Style Twin-Turbo Fan
Portable Palm Tree Fan
Lighted Outdoor Umbrella
Solar Lanterns

Now onto the recipe for Fresh Orange and Mixed Berry Juice:
Ingredients:

• Freshly Squeezed Sweet Orange Juice - 3 cups
• Slightly Sour Blackberries - 6#s
• Blueberries - a handful
• Raspberries - a handful
• Sugar/honey - for taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the above ingredients in a blender or a juicer. 
• Serve cold with ice cubes in the morning with scrambled eggs or sweet muffins.

Makes ~2 servings.

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe:Baked Salmon Bites with Ariosto Seasonings

I come back with another review for the Ariosto Seasonings(for Roasted/Grilled Fish).With Sea Salt, Rosemary, Laurel, Garlic, Juniper,Sage, Parsley and Oregano this is probably the only seasoning that you will need to replicate this recipe in your kitchen.Tasty Salmon Bites are ready in under 30 minutes.Last week I had made this and I used Spinach Pesto Dip that complemented the fish so well.

If you would like to know where to buy these seasonings, click this link that has the email address of Mr.Lo Presti.
Ingredients:

• Salmon Fillets - 2
• Ariosto Seasonings - 1 1/2 tsp
• Olive Oil - 3 tsp

For Assembling the Fish Skewers:

• Cherry Tomatoes - a handful
• Mint leaves - 12-15#s
• Skewers - 4-5

Procedure:

• Cut the Salmon fillet into cubes and smear Olive oil.
• Sprinkle the seasonings over the cubes and layer them on the oven-proof dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
• Rest the fish for 5 minutes before skewering it with the cherry tomatoes and mint leaves.
• Eat as is or with 'The Spinach Pesto Dip'.

Makes ~ 4-5 Skewers

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe:TriColor Rotini With Herbed Shallots, Mushroom N Green Squash

A few of my favorite things - Boiled Potato(Potato),Cooked Chickpea(Chickpea and Salt),Baked Salmon(Fish, Salt and Pepper), Tri-Color Pasta Dish(Veggies, Pasta, Oil and Ariosto Seasonings).Few Ingredient Fixing is what I like best. That doesn't mean I will compromise on flavor. No way! For this dish I used Ariosto's "Aglio e Peperoncino"- A very picante seasoning made with garlic, dry red chilli, sea salt, parsley and spinach.I used only 3/4 tsp for this recipe and that was a little too much. So now you know how spicy and flavor-packed it is.This is probably what I will make whenever "Easy does it" becomes the order of the day. This goes as an entry to this week's Presto Pasta Nights hosted at Thyme for Cooking.

Ingredients:

• Tri-Color Rotini/Corkscrew pasta - 4 cups, cooked
• Mixed Veggies(2 Baby Green-Squash, 10 Button Mushrooms, 1 shallot, 1 Roma Tomato) - 2 1/2 cups
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Ariosto Seasoning "Aglio e Peperoncino" - 3/4 tsp

Procedure:

• In a skillet, add the olive oil and saute the mixed veggies for 5-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the seasoning and add the cooked pasta.Mix gently until evenly incorporated.
• Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and garnish with tomatoes and some shallot slices.

Makes 3-4 medium servings.

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe: Rustic Oven Fries With Ariosto Seasonings

Ask yourself these questions - Do you love Italian Leather Shoes/Bags? Are you a sucker for Designer Italian Shades/Apparels? Are you in love with Italian Fine Filigree Jewelery? Do you crave for Pizza and Pasta? Do you find the angelic voice of Andrea Bocelli irresistible?Does listening to Antonio Vivaldi's compositions make you cry in joy? If its an Yes to most of these questions then you are like me. So I am sure you will love this product from Italy too -- Ariosto SpA Seasonings. When I got this package from Milan, I couldn't wait to try something out of this. This is not your usual spice mix. Its a finely ground, perfect blend of herbs that can be used for vegetables, poultry and seafood, be it starter or main course.Look at the range of seasonings available in the picture. So far I have tried two of these seasonings and I tell you, they pack quite a punch. They are intense and "less is more". Tried the seasoning "For Roasted or Fried Potato" to make Rustic 3-Vegetable Fries and they were insanely good.Me and my family absolutely loved it!Tx Saverio.This brand has distributors in USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Belgium, Germany and a few other countries. Check their website to know to where you can find these seasonings locally.

This along with Mocha Flavored Pumpkin Cakelette and Eggless Pineapple Carrot Mini Loaf goes to this week's Bake-off@ Bangalore Baker's Versatile Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• Russet Potato -1, large or Yukon Gold - 2, medium
• Carrots - 2, medium
• Rutabaga - 1/2, large
• Ariosto Seasonings(Insaporitore per patate fritte e arrosto - For Roasted and Fried Potatoes) 
- 1 tsp
• Olive Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Peel the skin off on all the vegetables.
• Cut the vegetables into a fairly long and thick sticks.
• Blanch them in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes.Shock the vegetables in cold water for a couple of minutes to stop cooking.
• Pat the dry with paper towel and drizzle with Olive Oil.
• Sprinkle the Ariosto seasonings and mix them well with both hands.
• Spread them on a oven proof cookie sheet without overlapping and bake for 15 minutes on the top rack keeping a close eye on them. Bake 5 more minutes if you like them extra crispy. 
• Serve immediately with some ketchup.

Note:

• Do Not blanch the vegetables in salted water if using Ariosto Seasonings. The seasonings have salt in them.
• The baking time might differ depending on the thickness of the vegetables. 
• Rutabaga is bitter when raw, but mellows after baking because baking brings out the earthy sweetness out of it. Do give it a shot. It will grow on you as it did on me.

Makes 2 Medium Servings.

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe: MarxFoods "Eco-Vision" Palm Leaf Bio-Plates And Eggplant Timbale

Dear All, Happy Earth Day 2010!

Earth Day?? - Earth Day aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth's environment. While some folks celebrate Earth Day around the time of the vernal equinox, others observe the occasion on April 22 each year and is currently observed in more than 140 countries around the world.

Earth Day can be on any day if only we take conscientious steps towards keeping our Mother Earth Healthy, not just for ourselves but for the generations to come.Else, the Mayan Calendar Predictions may come true. Maybe not on December 21, 2012.. but eventually. As it is, Mother Nature is unhappy and she is Shaking(Read Earthquakes) and Spitting(Read Volcanic Ash) at us for being Nasty to her. Let us all do what we can towards a Greener and Happier Earth, shall we? I for one don't use wads of TT, shutdown my computer(Not put it in "Sleep" or "Hibernate" mode), don't keep the water running while I brush my teeth etc etc..Little things like this matter. After all, small droplets make a mighty ocean, right?

Okay, Here are some suggestions to "Get, set, ECO" -

1. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse - This includes Water Bottles, Beer/Soda cans, Plastic Spoon/Forks etc etc.
2. Walk, Take a bike, Use Public Transportation or Car Pool
3. Pick roadside Trash
4. Plant a tree or two, if not at-least a bush
5. Buy "Local and Organic" food whenever possible
6. Be a TreeHugger - Use biodegradable products, like Marxfoods' "Eco-Vision" Palm Leaf Bioplates

Just yesterday I got a package of these plates from Marxfoods, so I can blog about this beautiful plates on Earth Day. How appropriate is that?Thanks a bunch, Justin.

 

Awesome looking plates, aren't they? They are made from Adaka Palm Leaves that are gathered from the forest floor that are cut and sun dried. Yes folks, no tree was harmed or cut-down to make this splendid party plates. Besides looking good, they function beautifully. They are really sturdy and does not get soggy unless you soak them in the water.And they are biodegradable- decompose over time as a result of biological activity and does not harm Mother Earth. They come in different shapes and sizes and to fit everyone's budget! Please go check out this excellent product at their site.Besides plates, they have plenty of fine foods like Wild Mushrooms, Organic Grains/Seeds, Truffles and more. Go check!

Eggplant Timbale With Pepper, Mushrooms and Ziti filling:(Serves 2)
(Adapted from Giada's Everyday Italian, FoodNetwork)
The original recipe calls for "Grilled" eggplants but I baked it instead. I would recommend grilling the eggplant slices since mine turned out a little crunchy and made the cutting difficult.But the filling was delicious.I will definitely make this again but with grilled eggplants.

This goes to Presto Pasta Nights event held at The kitchen slave. This along with Criss-Cross Cottage Pie goes to Champa's Bake-off event.

 

Ingredients:

• Eggplants - 2, Mid-sized, sliced 1/4 -inch thick
• Mushrooms - 3 #s, medium, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• Onion - 1/2, medium, fine diced
• Mini Peppers - 3#s, fine diced
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Ziti Pasta - 2 handfuls, cooked as per package directions
• Hot sauce - 2 tbsp
• Marinara Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Cracked Pepper - a few grinds
• Salt for taste
• Mozzarella Cheese - 1/4 cup or more
• Olive Oil - 4 tbsp
• Fresh Basil - 1 tsp, chopped

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cut eggplant slices in single layer for 10 minutes with 2 tbsp of olive oil and salt till it becomes soft. (Original recipe calls for grilling and its best that way).
• In a pan, heat the remaining oil and add garlic, onions, peppers, mushrooms. Saute for 10 minutes or so and add both the sauce, cracked pepper and salt. Mix it and add the cooked pasta and cheese.
• Line a baking dish(In my case, with the baked eggplants and let a few slices overlap and hang on the sides.
• Spoon the mixture into the dish, tightly packing it.

 

• Fold the eggplant slices like in the picture and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

 

• Cool for 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving.

Makes ~ 2 small-sized servings.

Note:

• Grill the eggplants for a softer timbale.Mine was a little crisp which wasn't what I wanted in my Timbale.
• Don't care to make a timbale, chop the eggplants and add it to the veggies and use it as a pasta topper.Either way, it tastes good.

Enjoy!Original Recipe with Meat-filling can be found here.

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