Moksha Food

I made these chocolate cupcakes for my daughter's rainbow themed birthday party. This recipe is gluten free, egg free and corn free. These cupcakes also freeze well. Recipe adapted from here . Makes: 12 Ingredients: 3/4 rounded cup sorghum flour 3/4 rounded cup potato starch or tapioca starch 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum 1 cup warm milk* (not too hot or it will make the starch gluey) 1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten with 1/4 cup warm water 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon light tasting rice vinegar Directions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners. Whisk together all the dry ingredients. Add in the milk, egg replacer, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Beat the batter for a full two to three minutes until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Plop

Yesterday was a wet gloomy day. As my daughter came back from school, she was rummaging through her snack cabinet trying to make a choice between chips and cookies. Had me thinking there's got to be something junkie enough for her and healthy for me to make and serve her. Bingo! Some hot fritters to cheer up this gloomy day. Healthy quotient was Paneer (Indian cottage cheese). She fell for the bait. Gobbled them all as soon as they were warm enough to hold onto. Daughter's happy Tummy makes happy Mommy! My daughter may have christened them vegetarian chicken nuggets but in reality these are a favorite Indian snack called Paneer pakodas. Paneer is fresh cottage cheese which can be made at home or store bought. It is dipped in a spiced chickpea batter and fried till golden brown. Gluten free delicious after school snack which left her asking for more. Paneer Pakodas are a favorite tea time snack. Hot piping pakodas served with an array of chutneys and cup of hot masala tea.

Like every kid born in this era, my daughter too loves going to McDonald's. Sadly she couldn't eat anything there. Most of the times, we would order a happy meal just for the toy and chocolate milk. With time she grew tolerant to the French fries. But the nuggets was what she pined for the most. I always thought the nuggets tasted pretty bland but to her it was ultimate food.( i guess the grass greener on the other side syndrome) After much internet hunting and trials, this recipe finally passed the test. I prepared it two ways - fried and baked. She loved them both and we all agreed it was so much better than any fast food joint. Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken cut into small chunks (my butcher cut them into uneven pieces, try to have them uniform, helps with the cooking) 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 cloves of garlic salt and pepper 1/4 cup yogurt 1/2 cup rice flour 1/2 cup crushed Rice Krispies (any brand cereal - I used Kellogg's brown rice) Oil for fryi

My family originally hails from Goa. Its a beautiful small coastal state on the west of India. Its breathtaking beaches and eclectic mix of ancient Hindu temples and Portuguese inspired churches have made it the most popular destination in India. The abundant seafood available dominates the cuisine making it a preferred choice for the residents and tourist alike. Our daily meal at home too usually comprises of rice, fish curry and fish fry. It may sound monotonous but there are numerous variations of cooking the same fish so we don't ever get tired of it. This pan fried fish recipe is very simple, quick and also healthy as pan frying reduces the amount of oil consumed. No marinating required. Ingredients 1 fish steak -I used pomfret today 1/4 tsp turmeric pdr 1/4 tsp red chili pdr salt to taste 2 tbsp. of tamarind paste 2 tbsp. idli rava for making the crust 1-2 tbsp. of oil for frying Directions: Wash the fish steak well and pat dry. Season with salt and keep aside. Meanwhile

Goat meat is a must have on every Sunday in a Bengali Household. My marriage into a Bengali family introduced me into this tradition too. Prior to it, I only preferred sea food and chicken. Red meat was too strong in flavors and too chewy for me to enjoy. But I have learnt that if cooked right, it develops rich flavors and can be melt in your mouth consistency. Goat meat also referred to as mutton is a leanest form of all the red meat. Even then it can take hours to cook. In India, we usually marinate the meat for an hour or 2 with meat tenderizers like yogurt or raw papaya paste. The mixture is then cooked in a pressure cooker to fasten the cooking. But slow cooked red meat tasted the best. The most sought after piece of the goat is the leg. This meat is supposed to taste the best. The hollow bones are also a delicacy as fights break out in a family as to who gets to suck up the bone marrow. My daughter being the only kid get this privilege without having to put up any fight. Ing

Chicken Cafreal is a Goan Portuguese fusion dish. The hot and spicy chicken can be served as an appetizer or full meal with fries and salad. I served it with cucumber-mango salad and French fries  for our dinner. Ingredients: 2 pounds Chicken thighs and legs, cut into small pieces 3-4 tbsp. Cafreal masala- home made or store bought* 1 tbsp. oil. Salad 1 baby cucumber 1/2 mango chopped salt and pepper Juice of 1/2 lime 2 dried mint leaves 1/2 tsp. chat masala pdr Fries: Potatoes- skinned and chopped into fries size salt 1 tbsp. rice flour oil for Frying Directions: Chicken- Marinate the chicken pieces with the Cafreal masala and keep refrigerated for at least an hour. Longer the marinating, better the flavors develop. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the chicken and sauté on high heat for about 5 mins. Lower the heat. Cover with lid and let the chicken cook in its own juices for about 20-25 mins. Don't add any water. Once the chicken is done, lift the cover an