Saffron Infused Apple Chai

If you check the archives of my blog, I must have said some zillion times " I love summer " Well, I really do, I love sunshine and even as the temperatures rise to unbelievable heights, I never complain, ahem! well not as much as I complain about the sub zeros. Summer is all about ice-cold beverages and the supply in plenty. I have tried so many variations of ice-tea that I can write a book or start a blog - "just chai" as the caption. Well, not a bad idea. I can ask my brother-in law to co-author it with me as he is very well-informed about the history and geography of tea. Intact he makes his tea with a stopwatch, no kidding. Precision during brewing. We all have our obsessions, don't we? This particular crop of tea was gifted to me by him and it is white champagne tea,  first flush, from Darjeeling. It's got a mild aroma, a very delicate flavor  and infuses very well with saffron. It looks gorgeous right. Well the red strands are saffron. You are going to love this simple infusion 

Kaju Katli / Cashew Bars

 I have been very privileged to have a mother who is one of the most amazing women. A perfect blend of tradition beliefs  and modern outlook. I have so many memories from my childhood that I can only thank my mother for... She has made those memories so special. My friends would almost always hang out in my houseand there was a constant supply of snacks, meals and desserts. We always shared our secrets, our teen crushes, gossip with her. She has always been there, guiding me just enough, never been a ' helicopter' parent, but always had her eyes on me. Am not so sure if I will ever be as skilled a mother as she is. Among the many roles I play, I have to admit being a mother is the most fullfilling role. I got my mother's day gift and I loved it... 'finally teen' cleaned my car for me, I thought it was so cute. She even sprayed some room freshener in there and it does smell so good. Happy Mother's Day to all the aunts, sisters, girl friends, grandmas and moms and everyone else to loves to mother :)

This recipe is so easy that you will kick yourself for not having tried it before, I did kick myself ;) Thanks to show me the curry for the recipe.

Sambhar Spice Blend

Spicy Garlic Oil

Spice is a tool, a powerhouse of flavors. You can mix and match, using your tools to create the flavors you want on your canvas, with no rules (I love the sound of that.) A small teaspoon can go a long way.  Every time that I add masalas (spice blend) to my vegetables, I feel like I am breathing life into the dish.

Bland flavorless food is like watching a boring movie on a dull, rainy day. I have had the opportunity to  to taste some pretty bland food and it left me with a rather dull empty feeling.  Spicy is sometimes misunderstood as a synonym for 'hot'; however, spicy simply means flavored with spice. Spicy does not always mean it is sharp and/or hot. Cinnamon is not sharp, but it is a spice... Then there is fennel, which is sweet in flavor. It might be intimidating for some to embrace these flavors, it is indeed an acquired taste. If you are sniffing cumin for the first time, don't stick your nose into a bag of cumin, you might just faint (OK! that's a bad joke) But seriously, it does have a strong aroma, most spices do. But remember that you are not going to add a cup of cumin or any other spice,  into your dish. It's going to be just 1/2 tsp or even 1/4th tsp. It provides flavor and mixes in with the other main ingredients to give a subtle flavor. A better way could be to rub the spice between your finger and thumb and sniff the aroma. I think spiced oils are a good way to start, as you can add a bit of the spiced oil onto your dish and try it. Also, I love customizing my dinner meals to my own taste buds, hence I love food that has a lot of movement and creativity; where you can add the dips, chutneys and oils, mix them...and every bite of the food is unique. That is food nirvana for me. And most importantly, oils love flavor.

This particular spicy oil is a mix of red chili, garlic and a bit of garam masala.  The oil I have used is a blend of olive and sesame.  Sesame is pretty strong, the olive oil dilutes the flavor of the sesame and adds it's own sweet nutty taste. Why oils?? Well, it's the same reason why fried food is one of the best tasting foods. It's because fat devolves flavor (flavor solvents).  I know you're probably falling asleep here, but there is serious science behind why fried food is more flavorful. So, don't blame yourself for gawking over french fries rather than apples. (no offense to apples here).  Just one advice, don't drink it like a beverage... use a teaspoon.

My other favorite is olive oil with fennel seeds... coming soon on the blog.

Mini Cocktail Samosa

Nostalgia, a sure sign of aging? You will not see a 13 year old getting nostalgic about her toddler years....or do you ? Well at least my teen does not ? Maybe I just have an old soul, cos seriously who you calling old ?? Ok correction here, Finally Teen says she does get nostalgic about her toddler years...so am glad we got the age thing behind us !! 'Finally teen' got back from school and guess what she way playing 'Simon and Garfunkel' "bridge over trouble waters".  I was trying to read but I ended up closing my eyes soaking in the song and we must have played it for over an hour.....sometimes there is so much power in silence, yes we did play "sounds of silence" too and that moment was precious for me...!! A moment to step back and document in my mind heart...for in a couple of decades, I shall look back and think of this evening and cherish it in my mind and nothing can bring it back to life other than  my own memory of it.  How I wish I can lock this moment of time and throw away the keys. Well, there are days when I truly anticipate the future with excitement and then there are those moments like today, when I want to lock in to the beauty of NOW. Well, hope I did not push you guys into a sea of tears cos 'Finally Teen' thinks this is a whee bit depressing. Well, I think not, so I shall post this and have you decide. Throw in your opinion and we are both ( Finally Teen and me) curious to know :))

Assuming that I did throw you off a bit, here are some cute cute bite size samosas that might cheer you up. I don't need to add, it will go very well with some chilled beer, a wonderful sunset and some great music in the background.....and yes ! so easy to put together that you will have plenty of time to enjoy.

Btw, my samosa are not the perfect shape..am an apprentice at samosa making. Maybe it does have something to do with the word patience. Am sure yours will be perfect and if you want to leave a link of samosa recipe from your blog, pl leave a link here in the comments - I would love to better my craft.

Finally the days of shorts n sunshine, fireflies n flip-flops, bbq and beer and picnics n parties ! After weeks of cold, wet days...finally some bright sunshine and real spring temperatures...Any plans for spring/summer ? Well, I have some exciting stories/news to share....you will just have to wait :)