Soulful Creations

So last month after missing the wonderful macaroon baking event I opened the daring kitchen forums page with a lot of enthusiasm. The moment I opened it my jaw dropped and then a feeling of relief came over- the forum page said "Sorry we are not baking this month". I thought "ah! what a relief, I don't have to try making/baking something and then realize that I suck at it!!"But that moment was indeed brief but what we we were asked to do this month, were some lovely canolis. The November 2009 challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian pastry, cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbook Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Mattichio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scocilone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book. I followed the exact recipe...

I am heading over to this month's mingle at Meeta's with an Indian brunch. The brunch consisted of ரவை உப்மா (Rava upma) வெங்காய (Onion) சாம்பார் (sambar) Sweet pongal And not to forget coffee (unfortunately this was instant coffee!) For the rava upma, Roast about a cup of rava/sooji for a few minutes, keep it aside once its done. In a pan add about a tablespoon of oil, once that heats- add mustard seeds and let them splatter. Once they splatter add cumin seeds, a tbsp of chana dal, whole dried red chillies, a pinch of asaefoetida. Let them hang out in the oil for a few seconds. Add the chopped onions and saute them. Then add any veggies you like (I added peas, potatoes, carrots and lima beans). Saute them all and cook them with very little- salt and pepper them as you like. Once the veggies about half way done, add the roasted rava and a cup of water. Let them cook together (salt and pepper again to taste), this should take about 5-7 minutes. Towards the end add a ...