GOLDEN SYRUP

It is no mean task when it comes to baking cakes, puddings, pies or cookies when you are living in India. I am not talking just about the weather that can get treacherously hot (a doom for short bread cookies or rolling a pastry) but I am talking about the key ingredients that are required to bake these goodies. It will take herculean efforts to hunt simple stuff such as good quality white butter and there is no such thing as whipping cream or sour cream. It is tough to get hold of mascarpone cheese and cream cheese. Dulce de leche, puff pastry is one hell of a wishful thinking! While a few vendors stock the imported brands for few of the above mentioned stuff but they are capable of making a huge dent on your pocket. They cost a bomb!! The mantra is simple – make your own stuff...where ever you possibly can.

Now, you can imagine my plight when I began my hunt for procuring  the golden syrup! It was tough nearly impossible to find golden syrup. Four years back I found Lyle’s Golden Syrup at a supermarket at NOIDA (near Delhi) but that was the only time they stocked it. I had picked one bottle and on my later visit I was told they had stopped importing it. I learnt of a few stores that stocked it but these were too far off from my place of residence. I had a few recipes that called for golden syrup and its non-availability became the prime reason why they never saw the light of the day again.

A quick search on the internet led me on to the basic info on the golden syrup. “Golden syrup is a pale treacle...thick, amber-colored form of inverted sugar syrup, made in the process of refining sugar cane or sugar beet juice into sugar, or by treatment of a sugar solution with acid...It has an appearance similar to honey”- Wikipedia. After learning that it was a simple sugar syrup treated with acid (in this recipe a natural one - lemon juice and vinegar), I believed it could be easily made at home. Then, began the hunt for a recipe and after browsing through a few, I zeroed in on this one. 

Last year, when I felt like making the Banana& Strawberry Flapjacks, I decided to make  the Golden Syrup and I am more than satisfied with this recipe. And guess what?!? The home-made one costed me one third the price I had bought the Lyle's! The success of this golden syrup has boosted my morale and I am keen to make more such stuff that I possibly can, at home.

800 g of white granulated sugar

290 g of water

2 lemons (to yield 6 tablespoons of lemon juice)

2 tablespoons of white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

2 tbsp water

Mix the baking soda in 2 tablespoon of water and set it aside.

Wash the lemons, cut in halves and squeeze the juice.

Measure 6 tbsp needed for the recipe and keep aside.

Cut the squeezed lemons in quarters and set aside.

In a pot, add sugar and water and boil on high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add lemon juice & quarters and vinegar. Stir occasionally.

Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil until the solution reaches 108 C. (I didn't  have a candy thermometer and relied on my instinct and the appearance of the syrup) 

This process took approximately 30 minutes (+/-).

You will notice the sugar solution gradually changing the colour and turning golden.

Turn off the heat and stir in the baking soda solution.

The addition of baking soda solution will lead the syrup to bubble. The bubbles will remain on the surface of the solution.

Once the solution cools, it will disappear (as per the recipe they should have disappeared but mine did not...see notes).

Let the solution cool in the pot.

Strain before storing in the jar. (Preferably glass)

Note: Indian lemons are smaller in size and very potent (read sour); I used four lemons.

Note: On addition of baking soda solution initially there were bubbles and later they turned to froth which I had to spoon out from over the surface. I would recommend that you let the syrup cool well before pouring it out in bottle/jar. 

Note: It is advised to use the golden syrup within a month or two. Also, keep it refrigerated. 

Note: Don't forget that the syrup will further thicken on cooling so keep an eye on the consistency.  

Yield: 600 ml but I am afraid I forgot to weigh the syrup L

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CURD RICE (THAIR SAADAM)

Even though I am a pukka north Indian, I have a strong affinity for south Indian cuisine. My initiation to south Indian cuisine was partly thanks to my college friends who introduced me to the soft and spongy idlis dunked in spicy and tangy sambhar and the crispy dosa that were meant to be polished off with coconut and tomato chutneys.

However, it were my colleagues at Reliance where I started my first job (95% of the staff hailed from one or the other state of south India) who introduced me to a huge array of dishes that I would see in their Tiffin boxes each day. Their dishes tasted so different from what I had eaten in the south Indian specialty restaurants in Delhi or places in north India. The food in the restaurants had been tweaked to cater to the north Indian palate. Having tasted my colleagues’ home-made authentic south Indian dishes, I fell in love with the south Indian cuisine all over again.

My colleagues and I often used to visit Andhra Bhavan in Delhi and enjoy their sumptuous south Indian thali. However, it was the UNI canteen which was an all time favourite. The canteen (somewhere around Parliament Street) was near my office which served authentic south Indian meals at an unbelievably reasonable price. Although the canteen was located in the premises of the UNI wire service, it was open to all and sundry. It was amusing to see even the multimillionaire Ambani brothers eating out there in the very humble environs of the canteen.

Most of my colleagues used to order their lunch from the UNI canteen on Saturdays. I too joined the gang and stopped carrying my lunch pack from home on Saturdays. In fact, I used to look forward to the day and would mostly order their rice preparations such as Sambhar Rice (a tangy & tempered dal and rice preparation), Tomato Rice, Lemon Rice and Curd Rice.

Each Saturday used to be a different rice dish on the menu. I used to look forward to the day when the canteen would serve my favourite – the curd rice. It was served with fried dry red chilli smeared in some spicy masala, either a sweetish lemon chutney or a tangy mango pickle called Pachadi along with some south Indian papad (famously known as poppadums). Somehow, the simple flavours of the curd rice paired with a tangy pickle and papad seemed like a match made in heaven! Curd Rice is an ideal summer meal. Both, the rice and the curd have a cooling effect on the body. The pickle peps up and helps the digestive system from becoming sluggish due to the summer heat.

Here is what you would need,

2 cups over cooked rice (cooled)

1 cup yoghurt (dahi)

½ tsp finely chopped ginger

1 finely chopped green chili (de-seeded)

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)

Salt to taste

¼ tsp cracked black or white pepper corns

For tempering:

2 tsp oil

2 whole dry red chili (split in two and seeds removed)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal (ivory lentils - split & skinless black dal)

1 tsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)

7-8 fresh curry leaves

For serving:

Mango pickle or Lemon Pickle (actually any pickle of your choice)

Papad

In a bowl beat the curd and mix in the rice. Add salt, pepper, green chili, ginger and fresh coriander. Keep aside. 
For tempering, heat the oil and add the red whole chilies till they start to change colour. 
Reduce heat and add mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle, add both the dals till they change colour to goldenish brown.
Immediately add the curry leaves (these might splatter oil so add them carefully)
Remove from heat and pour this into the curd rice. 
Serve with pickle and papad. 

Serves 1-2

Thanks for visiting and see you again!

LEMON SQUASH (LEMONADE CONCENTRATE)

As I start to write this post, I feel being transported to my childhood when consumers were yet to be bombarded and lured by the soft drink companies. They were a long way from becoming a fad. People still indulged in a glass of Lemonade, Aam Panna, Jal Jeera, Bel Sherbet or Buttermilk to beat the heat. My mother was no different and believed in the goodness of these natural coolers to counter the blistering summer heat. Nimbu pani or lemonade was a favourite and regular in our house. Rasna, which was a craze then, was the only other drink that she would allow us to indulge in once in a while.

The bottle of lemon squash steadfastly accompanied me even after I left home to study for my MBA. It was one thing that was always at hand throughout the scorching summer in my hostel room. Mum would make it in large quantities and send it over through a friend or acquaintance travelling to the town of my univ. It was a healthy and a very convenient option...no squeezing of lemons and stirring of sugar in a pot. Just had to pour a little amount of squash in the glass, fill it with chilled water...satiated...totally. Ah! The good old days when mum was around for everything... The never ending stock of lemon squash ensured that I would survive the 48 degrees parching heat of north India, with a bit of ease  well hydrated. This and our ‘hired on monthly basis’ noisy dessert cooler were the life line for me and my room-mate.

Come summer and the price of lemons soars to absurdly high amount. No amount of haggling or reasoning with the vendor works. He coolly rationalises by saying that summer is the time to make the kill!! Fair enough; he understands the economics- the demand supply stuff. I give the devil his due...as if I have a choice. 

However, this year around I turned smart and made squash during the ‘off-season’. I bought the lemons in bulk and my regular vendor surely got suspicious of my motives. “Madam achaar banaoge kya?” (Madam, are you going to make pickle) He perhaps was not imagining that I could be making squash. I didn’t answer him, till I had paid him for lemons and just as I was leaving, I told him that it was for nimbu sherbet (lemon squash/lemonade). I can’t forget the stumped look on the poor guy’s face. I can only imagine his thoughts...“here goes my kill”.

You will need,

1 litre water

1 kg 250 grams Lemons (to yield approx.1 litre juice)

2.5 kg sugar

½ tsp potassium meta bi-sulphite (preservative)
A few drops of yellow colour

In a deep pan, boil the sugar and water together until sugar has dissolved. 
Give it one boil and switch off the heat. 
Cool and strain the syrup.
Mix in the lemon juice, potassium meta bi-sulphite and lemon colour. 
Fill the squash in clean sterilised bottles leaving a little head space. 
Keep refrigerated.

To serve: 
Add a little amount (2-3 tbsp) of squash in a glass. Fill with water and top with ice. Serve chilled!

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INDIAN SPICES (Part I)

It was the fame of India’s riches and that of its spices that brought merchants and crusaders to its shores and changed its course of history. An Indian kitchen will typically have an array of spices that an Indian housewife will use in a variety of forms- whole or ground, toasted or fried. The spices form many parts of a plant – fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, roots, resins, etc. When combined, these spices create a symphony of flavours on the palate. The spectrum of spices is vast and so is the style of cooking; each state or region of India having its own set of favourite spice or mix of spices. Nearly all the spices mentioned here are the ones that are used across the country but their usage varies.

JEERA

Cumin Seeds

Cumin is essentially the most commonly used spice. It is used in most Indian savoury dishes, whole or ground, fried or roasted (both treatments lend a different taste). It is a robust spice and has layers of flavours - warm, smoky, bitter and nutty. Its warm earthy aromas become more pronounced when roasted. I love the flavor imparted by roasted ground cumin to the chicken or lamb curry. It is believed to aid in digestion. It is also added to the panch phoran mix which literally translates to five-spice mix. (I used the panch phoran mix to make this yummy Tomato Chutney) Sprinkle a generous pinch of roasted and ground cumin to raita and see the difference. Also, Jal Jeera, a very popular summer cooler in northi of India, uses roasted cumin.  

SARSON

Mustard Seeds

Mustard seeds are derived from the mustard plant (belonging to the cruciferous family), a popular green leafy vegetable in Punjab called Sarson da Saag. The seeds are pungent with hints of nuttiness. The commonly used black variety has stronger and peppery flavour and used for tempering and also added ground, to pickles. They also happen to be one of the spices added to the panch phoran mix. The seeds are pressed to derive Mustard Oil which is used extensively in the north, west and a few eastern regions of India.

The milder yellow variety is usually used for curries and is extensively used in the eastern states of India. The seeds are powdered, made into a paste adding water and lightly fried in oil. It makes the base for vegetable and fish curries.

METHI DANA

Fenugreek Seeds

When allowed to seed, the fenugreek plant produces yellowish brown seeds that are bitter in taste. A tiny pinch goes a long way. They are an integral part, in fact form the bulk, of curry powders and are also used (powdered) in pickles. They are also one of the ingredients for panch phoran mix.

The fenugreek plant is leafy green winter vegetable that has a grassy smell and is bitter in taste. For many people it is an acquired taste just like rocket or chicory. Fresh methi leaves are knead into dough for paranthas, fritters (pakoras) and theplas. These taste scrumptious with a cup of chai or veg. curry. Try the taste of fresh methi in this delicious spread. 

A generous pinch of dried crushed leaves called Kasoori Methi adds a delicious touch to an otherwise rich savoury dishes especially chicken and paneer (cottage cheese) curry. I used it to enhance the flavour of this Dhaba Chicken. 

KALONJI

Nigella Seeds

Also known as onion seeds, these black seeds are called kala jeera (black cumin) in Bengali cuisine and are the fourth ingredient of the panch phoran mix but don’t confuse it with the shah jeera which is also referred to as kala jeera. They are also known as onion seeds. These taste sharp and slightly bitter.

Just like the fenugreek and mustard seeds, nigella seeds are often added to north Indian pickles. The Bengalis and a few other states in the eastern region often use this to season curries. The seed is also used to spice up breads like naan and paranthas. They taste great sprinkled over salty crackers such as Nimki (or Namak Pare or Mathri). 

SAUNF

Fennel Seeds

This slightly brownish green coloured oval seeds lend warm sweetness to the curries. It is the last of the five ingredients of the panch phoran mix. The seed is used for both savoury and sweet dishes. I used this spice in these Whole Wheat Pancakes. 

The seed is a natural mouth freshener and is also believed to enhance digestion. It is often offered to diners after meal in Indian restaurants. Its primary notes in your mouth will be that of it being slightly bitter but it gradually releases its sweet flavor. As a kid I used to chew on it after meals and immediately sip on water. The water used to taste so sweet that I would keep sipping on it and ended bloating myself up!

SABUT LAL MIRCH & KUTI LAL MIRCH

Whole Red Chili & Red Chili Powder

These are dried red chili and they add a smoky earthy heat to the dish as compared to fresh raw heat from the green chilies. The whole red chilies are usually added to hot oil and used for tempering vegetarian & non-vegetarian curries.

Whole red chilies are ground to obtain the red chili powder. There are variety of red chilli powders each lending a different intensity of heat to the dish. The ones ground with the seeds are the hottest. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder is mildest of them all and lends a beautiful colour to the dish.

HALDI

Turmeric

Turmeric comes from a plant related to ginger. It lends a yellow colour to many curries and dals. The raw turmeric rhizome is dried and ground to powder. It has a warm pungent taste and hence should be used judiciously. Too much of it can make the dish taste bitter. Turmeric is known for its antiseptic and digestive properties. It is supposed to be good for skin too. It is believed to help in healing broken bones and often mixed in a small amount to hot milk and given to the patient.

It has a reverential value in the Hindu culture and therefore happens to be an integral part of many auspicious customs and rituals. In a pre-marriage ceremony, the face and body of a Hindu bride and that of the groom is smeared with a paste made of turmeric and sandal wood to make their skin glow!!

SABUT DHANIYA

Coriander Seeds

Coriander seeds are the seeds of the herb coriander aka cilantro. While the herb is used for garnishing, the seeds, added whole or powdered, are mostly used in savouries. The seeds are usually added to the hot oil towards the beginning of a dish preparation while the powder is added to the masala (i.e. sauted onions, ginger, garlic with or sans tomatoes) along with other spices.

These goldenish seeds are earthy and slightly nutty with just a hint of citrus aroma. This spice is a favourite with the Punjabi community and I am no exception to that ;-)

AJWAIN 

Carrom Seeds

These tiny seeds have a bitter pungent flavor and are used mostly for tempering lentil dishes and added to batter for fritters. It has taste similar to thyme. Punjabis add a sprinkle of it along with some salt to make flat bread called parantha which is usually had for breakfast with a cup of chai or left over dal and pickle. Piping hot parantha, cold dal & pickle combine to make a taste that's heavenly! Instead of using nigella seeds I sometimes use ajwain while making Nimki.

Ajwain is believed to help in indigestion and flatulence. When we were kids, mum used to make us gulp it down with some water when we had a tummy ache (¼ tsp of it with a pinch of salt)

Don't miss the next part of the 'Indian Spices' series. 

Thanks for visiting and see you again! 

KATHAL KOFTA (Jackfruit Dumplings in Red Gravy)

Jack-fruit, popularly known as phanas or kathal, grows widely along the coastal belt of India. I first saw it growing wild along road sides while my husband and I were on our holiday to Kerela. Unlike other fruit bearing trees where typically the kids don’t let the fruit sit on the branch till it ripens, here it was dangling happily from its branches, left unbothered and completely ignored.

I learnt from the hotel concierge that unlike in the north, where the jackfruit is preferred green and raw and cooked as savoury or pickled, down south people let it ripen and enjoy eating its sweet seeds. Apparently that is how it is enjoyed along most of the coastal states. I tried the seeds later here at Mumbai but my palate didn’t quite agree with its taste.

However, jack-fruit in a kofta avatar was a very fascinating idea to me. Last year while on a visit to my in-laws, my mum-in-laws made these koftas and asked me to take a guess what these koftas were made from. Honestly, it was difficult for me to judge that it was a vegetarian dish & I was pleasantly surprised to hear from her that it was jack-fruit kofta. These unusual koftas are utterly delectable; the texture and taste will remind you of the Galouti Kebab.

 You will need,

For Kofta:

250 grams jack-fruit (peeled and chopped in chunks)

A pinch asafoetida

1/2 tsp salt 

½ tsp ginger garlic paste

½ tsp garam masala powder
¾ cup besan (ground bengal gram)
A generous pinch of fruit salt (I use Eno)

Salt & Red Chili to taste (I used ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp chili)

Oil for frying

For Gravy:

1½ - 2 tbsp oil

1 pinch asafoetida 

½ tsp cumin seeds

3 medium onions (grated)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 medium tomato (grated or finely chopped)

½ tsp red chili powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

Salt to taste

2 cups water

2 tsp fresh chopped coriander (for garnish)

For Koftas:

Boil the jack-fruit with half a tsp of salt and asafoetida till it is tender. (I pressure cooked them till one whistle escaped)

Grind it to a coarse paste using minimal amount of water in a mixer-grinder. (I added water by 1 tsp at a time and approximately used 1 tbsp in all)

In a wok, on low heat, roast the besan till it starts emanating aroma and starts to change the colour (approx. 7-10 minutes)

Cool and add the besan along with the rest of the kofta ingredients to the jack-fruit  With a spoon or hands gently mix everything together. Make balls and keep them aside on a greased plate.

Heat oil and add asafoetida. Add the kofta balls in batches and fry them on a medium low heat till golden brown. Remove on a kitchen towel and keep aside.

(This amount of batter yielded approx. 16 koftas)

For Gravy:

Heat the oil and add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the onions and on medium heat fry till they turn goldenish brown.

Add 2-3 tbsp of water and add the ginger garlic paste. Fry till the masala becomes aromatic and brownish again.

Add the tomato and rest of the gravy ingredients. Fry them on low heat till the oil separates

Add water and let the masala come to a boil. Add koftas and cook further for 3-5 minutes on medium low heat.

Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and serve hot with chapatti or rice.

Note: You may need to add water again before serving coz the gravy will thicken as the koftas absorb the moisture. 

Note: Feel free to alter the amount of spices mentioned here. 

Yield: 16 koftas (the size shown here).

Thanks for visiting and see you again! 

CHILI CILANTRO HOME MADE COTTAGE CHEESE (MASALA PANEER)

It is rare that I make cottage cheese at home. Not that it is difficult or cumbersome to make but cottage cheese, also popularly known as paneer, is so easily available in India that one seldom needs to make it at home. The easy availability ensures that one just needs to go and grab it from the local dairy. It’s moist and soft texture makes it a versatile ingredient for adding it to curries, vegetables or making it into tikka or kofta.

I often buy it from the local dairy for the paneer dishes that I make at home. But, how much as I may like paneer in a dish (read curry), I simply can’t eat it on its own. As a matter of fact, I started eating paneer much later in my life and despite relishing it in curry and as tikka, I still haven’t developed a taste for eating it in raw form. I guess my palate misses the punch of flavours that it has got accustomed to in curries or the spicy tikka avatar.

That is when I decided to make cottage cheese at home and add that spicy twist so that I could enjoy it as finger food. It turned out just as the dairy made one – soft, creamy and moist but loaded with flavour from the addition of spices and cilantro.

You will need the following:

1.6 L full-fat milk (for softer cheese, full fat milk is recommended)

¾ tsp-1 tsp citric acid OR 2-3 tbsp lemon juice

Muslin or Cheese cloth

A heavy bottomed pot

2tsp red chilli flakes

½ tsp dry roasted and crushed cumin

1 tbsp chopped cilantro (hara dhaniya)

Salt to taste

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pot. As it comes to a boil, switch off the heat and after about 3-4 minutes add which ever curdling agent you are using - citric acid (add ¾ tsp first and if required add a little more) OR lemon juice (add 2 tbsp and if required add more) and give a stir.

The milk will curdle leaving light greenish whey.

Add the red chilli flakes, crushed cumin and cilantro.

Carefully drain the contents into the muslin cloth to separate the curds from the whey. Wash the contents.

(You may keep the whey & use it to cook dal or knead dough for chapattis or discard it)

Add salt and stir the cheese with spoon to mix it well.

Hang the cloth to drain the excess water and once done, tie the muslin cloth around the cheese in a knot to prevent the curds from escaping.

Put some heavy weight over it. Keep it for 10-15 minutes (depending on the amount of weight you have used).

Remove the paneer from the muslin cloth and serve.

Snack on it or serve it as finger food.

Cut a thick slice of paneer and enjoy it with a buttered slice of toasted bread. Yumm... J

Yield: 300 grams approx.

Suggestion: Try this cottage cheese with cracked black pepper or jalapeno. Basil and sun dried tomatoes make for an interesting flavour too. Let your creativity guide you on this one.

Note: Keeping the weight for too long may release too much moisture and leave the paneer dry.

Note: If you do not have lemon juice or citric acid you can instead use yogurt as the curdling agent. 
Note: For use in curry and tikka, keep the paneer plain i.e. without condiments and herbs. 

Thanks for visiting...see you again!

CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA MUFFINS

Hello everyone!!! Gosh, how long I had to wait for this day...being back to blogging. And what a year I had since I took that ‘unintended sabbatical’ from my blog. First, I never expected it to last this long. A ‘roller-coaster ride’ sounds too clichéd but I can’t help using it coz that is the only way I can truly describe the past year and a few years before that. However, last year was more so...full of paradoxes – of lows with highs, of disappointments & hope, of desires & content, of turmoil and peace. It was also a year of learning and unlearning. I know that’s what life is all about - paradoxes, but this time I played life differently.

I would be blatantly lying if I say I emerged unscathed from it. However, what matters most to me is the fact that going through it all has helped me evolve further as a being, as an individual and also in most roles that I play in my life. Have emerged wiser, stronger, calmer and at peace with not just myself but also that what goes around me and how I play with life's many curve balls. 

“All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Walt Disney 

I guess through these experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly – we understand ourselves and others better. Our potential, our grit, our endurance and our strength comes as a surprise not only to others but to us as well!! I guess these experiences are essential for our growth – mental, emotion and spiritual.

While going through the bad times, it is easy to lose grip on facts and reality and even seeing the big picture becomes hard. But once we cross that threshold, it becomes evident that whatever happened perhaps happened for a reason...like the silver lining in every cloud. It is up to us how we react and face circumstances and how we let those situations of life affect us – whether we let them “break us” or “make us”. Life surely offers at least that choice to us!

I can’t help sharing this mail which was sent by a friend and which probably will sum this all up...Besides, you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again J

“A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.

-       The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

-       The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

-       The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. 

When the hour is the darkest and trials are at their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level J

Kick start your day with these healthy Chocolate Chip Granola Muffins or enjoy them guilt free for an evening snack. And of course these make for a filling and healthy lunch pack for kids.

2 cups granola (or muesli)

1 cup all purpose flour (maida)

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/3 C dark chocolate chips plus extra for topping

½ C yogurt (dahi)

½ C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

¼ C oil

Oil and dust a 12-hole muffin tray or line it with muffin liners.

In a large bowl mixing bowl, sift together the baking powder, baking soda and all purpose flour (APF).

Add the granola and chocolate chips to the APF and mix them all well.

In a separate bowl, beat together the yogurt and sugar for a minute. Add the oil, eggs and essence and beat till everything is well assimilated and the batter is smooth.

Add this batter to the granola mix and stir till the mixture just comes together. Don’t over mix the batter.

Spoon in the batter equally, in the muffin liners, and bake at 180 degrees oven. The muffins should take approximately 15-20 minutes. Insert a skewer in the centre of the muffins to check for done-ness.

May you all have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy J

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

Thanks for stopping and do visit again!!

Post linked to Vardhini's Cooks Joy blog and to Surabhi's who is hosting the 16th Bake Fest event.