Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Flames of Pain...


One wonders where it ends,
Till it destroys and turns your essence to ashes?
Tearing your insides completely apart...
Burning Hell seems a fairer deal,
Rather than to feel this numbing pain...
Flames of deceit burn through my soul,
Cheated despite given vows of trust and honesty,
Slapped across the face in the name of love,
A shattered heart, strewn across the path like broken glass,
Crushed under the feet of nonchalance and abhorrence,
I cradled the pieces gently but they seem beyond repair...
But I know I can patch it back, it may not be new,
It may not be right, but it would be mine,
For, those who trampled upon it didn't realise while doing so,
They cut themselves so deep, that shreds of me would never get out,
They would die slowly, for they deserve the torture, the pain, tenfold of what was inflicted upon,
They may or may not regret what they did,
They may or may not have a conscious..
But they would suffer in the hands of others, the same hell they inflicted upon me..
I know I am strong willed, I am a fighter,
I would get through this, for I hold my Life in my own hands,
I hold my heart in my own hands, broken or bruised, but always in my own hands...
                  
                                                                                        By: Radhika Arora

Monday, October 31, 2011

A New Day Begins Again...



I Only Wanted Love, Heartache’s What I Got,
I Only Dreamt Of Peace, But The War Within Raged On...
Trapped In the Pyre Of Hatred And Deceit, I Struggled To Leap Free,
But The Vines Of Evil Gripped Me Fiercely
My Soul Burnt With Agony It Couldn’t Withhold,
Seeking A Way Out of This Hellhole...
Grappling and Clawing Throu the Remains of My Dreams,
I Sought To Save Whatever I Could Reap
Suddenly, A Ray of Hope and Peace Lit Up the Debris,
Revealing That All Was Not Lost and In Disarray
Shattered Dreams They Maybe..
But They Are Mine and They Are Here To Stay..
As I Gather The Tattered Bits Together, A New Day Begins Again....

                                                                        Author: Radhika Arora

Monday, October 10, 2011

Chicken Loaf-Satisfies Hunger Pangs Without Guilt!

One too bright a sunny afternoon, I was talking to a friend of mine about how we tend to view western cuisine as something of a nightmare to cook when it isn’t all that difficult once you get past the seemingly complicated ingredients and techniques. Rather, cooking Indian food is what gives me the shivers!
For quite a while now, I have been having this hankering for trying out my hand with meatloaf..guess I wanted to try it out after reading all those romantic novels in which the TDH {tall, dark & handsome !;) } hero walks into his kitchen and is hit with an awesome aroma of meatloaf baking in the oven and the beautiful heroine is slaving over the hot stove making mashed potatoes to win his heart!:-p
Ah..meatloaf and romance..funny when I think about it now but well..i am a staunch believer that food and love are best of friends forever!!!


Now, back to reality of making a meatloaf-I  didn’t want to use beef or pork due to the fat content in these meats so decided to stick to chicken. Also, someone who cannot stand in the kitchen slaving over the stove [after all I don’t have any TDH guy in my life right now so why should I be a heroine!!], I wanted to find a recipe that was low fat, easy and quick! And, after some good 10-15 minutes of in-depth research on the World Wide Web, I came across a recipe that I could tweak as per my convenience without going nuts over trying to gather the ingredients.
My guinea pig of the day was my dear brother who is not found of trying out new things [or maybe he has now become scared after being a guinea pig to my experiments!!] and he found it to be “OKish”. However, I have bookmarked it as a repeat because cold meatloaf sandwiches with Dijon mustard and thousand island dressing taste absolutely wonderful the next day J

Chicken Loaf with Mashed Potatoes & Steamed Veggies

INGREDIENTS
500g Chicken mince
3 egg whites
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped capsicum
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Steps:
1.      Combine all the ingredients together and put mixture into a greased loaf tin
2.      Preheat oven to 180c and cook for 30-40 minutes.
3.      Bake till it is crisp on the top and the skewer comes out clean.

Rest the meatloaf for 5-10 minutes before taking it out of the loaf tin and slicing it.

Serve with homemade sauce on top and mashed potatoes and steamed veggies/ salad on the side.

Recipe for Homemade Sweet n Tangy Meatloaf Sauce
Ingredients-
½ Cup Tomato Sauce
¼ Cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp Marmite
1 tsp Balsamic/White Vinegar
1 tsp Soya Sauce
1-2 cloves of finely chopped garlic

Steps-
1.      Mix together all the ingredients and bring to a quick boil or till the sugar is dissolved.
2.      Cool the sauce to room temperate and serve it on top of the meatloaf.

Kindly adjust ingredients as per taste as this was my idea of throwing together whatever I had on hand! J

 Please do try the recipe and leave your feedback and commentsJ

Saturday, September 10, 2011

An Enigma I Called Mum...



Cradled safely in the haven of your womb,
Protected from any harm that could have come...
My wails turned into smiles when you held me tightly in your arms,
My first wobbly foot prints on this earth had yours firmly next to mine...
Each tear rolling down my cheeks wiped away with warm kisses of love,
Skinned knees & broken hearts tended with bandages of adoring hands...
Tantrums for my inane demands fizzled down with hugs I can still feel,
Your undying spirit always leaves me mystified, for you never gave up fighting for what’s right,
Never did you once think for yourself or “what’s mine”,
Every breath you took spoke of sacrifice...
I fought with you, cried in your arms, but life's taken away that right of mine,
It’s hard to act like a grown up but then I do as you might,
Each action of mine still awaits your reactions of aghast or delight...
Every gesture, every expression of yours screamed grace beyond compare,
When others say "You look so like your mother", my heart’s tears turn into smiles,
For I know you would always reflect through me, as I am just an echo of you, Mum..
Miss you each moment though I feel your presence around me at all times,
Your  voice guides me down this treacherous path called life,
This enigma I called Mum would always exist until my footprints mark the sands of time...


                                                                                     -- Radhika Arora

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Papa..Love You Forever..
7th September


Cigars were said to have been passed around proudly upon hearing my first cry,
"My darling princess, never you fear, for daddy would always be there" was his unworded promise...
Yes,I knew how a princess would feel, for I was the prettiest one in this whole world for him,
Pampered and spoilt, all my whims and fancies were met without qualms,
I was the one who put a twinkle in his eye, inheriting his addiction to fiction and coffee,
Alongwith a staunch belief that I’m cut from the same tough cloth...
“Ur an army kid, so don't ever back down without a fight” he taught me,
I can still feel the warmth from the firm grasp of my hand in his, giving me the spirit to stand undefeated,
Made me strong to face life even after he left me,
For in his battle for life, I found my strength,
Never bow down your head in despair, is what makes me my Father's daughter...
Love is a small word to say what I feel for him,
For I am Him and He exists through me...
Each time I'm about to raise my hands in surrender, I feel his hand caressing my hair,
Calming me down, pushing me to step into the battlefield with guns ablazin'..
So far, yet so near I feel you each moment,
Alone and scared whenever I feel, I know you are here,
All these years and I still wish to be,
The perfect daughter you always said I had been,
For I had you to teach me to find perfection even in flaws,
I'm proud of being me, my Daddy's darling daughter...

Friday, August 26, 2011

A New Day, A New Phase...


Tis A New Day, A New Phase,
Radiating Sweet Hope and Lovely Life..
Quicksands of Time Had Tried To Pull Me Back,
Into The Swirling Vortex Of Old Memories that Should Have Long Died...
But I Grasped Tightly Onto The Ropes Of Present,
Pullin' Away From Dead Dreams And Dead Minds,
That Had Threatened My Spirit n My Very Right To Survive..
Firmly I Hold Onto The Threads of My Future..Tis Bright n Alive,
With Unknown Paths To Explore,New Dreams to Conquer,
I Promised Myself Never To Fall Back Into The Murky Past,
As I Have Finally Moved On..For Tis A New Day, A New Phase in Life...

                                                                               -Radhika Arora

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Stranger in Fathomless Night..


All alone in the deep of the night,
Filled with darkness so brutal, so feral...
Loneliness & pain sinking their fangs deep into my soul,
Oh what destiny has laid out on this rocky road of my life?
Like a dark knight who breaks through the foggy blackness,
A stranger, cloaked as dark as the twilight,
Gleaming eyes, a mischievous smile,
Tenderly implores to me, "Walk with me a few miles"...
His velvety voice promises to bring out the brightest stars in the dark sky,
Vows to slay monsters of despair & anguish, for they never again invade my mind...
His touch makes my soul come alive like the sky on Fourth of July,
Passion flares up, scorching my insides,
Phoenix of rekindled hope & love rising from those ashes of mine..
Yes, the darkness seems to give way to soft light..
My heart cries with happiness & delight,
But as dusk turns to dawn,
My dark knight walks back into the dispersing shadows,
For he wants to remain just a stranger from the fathomless night...

                                                                          Composer:Radhika Arora

Saturday, August 20, 2011

THOUGHTS SOARING HIGH..



Thoughts Floating In My Mind Like Aimless Clouds In the Clear Blue Sky,
Each Trying to Make Itself Heard Above the Clamouring of Dejected Cries..
Struggling to Make Way In the Enveloping Darkness of Hurt & Pain,
Tis Maze of Ominous Unknown Seems to Breed only Dismay..
Light the Path with Rays of Hope & Joy, They Scream..
For If We Die, the Mind Would Never Be Free Again..
Unshackle Us from Suffocating Ways this World Behaves,
For We Desire To Be Liberated from these Restricting Chains,
To Shine Bright Like that Ball of Fire Leaping from Behind Clouds So Grey..
To Give Life to Love, Delight & Ecstasy So Infinite & Without End,
Oh Let Us Fly High, Way Above The Constraints of Tradition & Civilized Minds,
Let the Thoughts Float Resolute, Soaring Towards the Heavens Like An Eagle In the Clear Blue Sky...
                                                                                                                    By:Radhika Arora

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Crispy Herb Chicken Legs- My Idea of Comfort Food For The Soul!!


Bored with typical mughlai gravies and tikkas, I wanted my comfort food to be finger licking good but guilt free as well!!:) These days I try to eat only such things that don’t cause nightmares of my struggling to swim through rapids of oil and grease!! UgghhhhK
Feeling low because of bad cold, my taste buds not able to identify much other than the medicine I keep popping...I wanted something that cheered me up by just being there on my plate!!J
Staying in Noida, most of the take away food joints have the same boring tikkas or greasy curries, deep fried Chinese grub or cheesy pizzas! Why should I even bother ordering something that would just make me feel more depressed after eating it was the thought that ran through my mind!
So, here I was, really in the mood for something that is food for the soul-yummilicious yet healthy!J I had some raw chicken legs lying in the freezer waiting for their fate to turn into a curry for lunch the next day..but I’m a person who respects food and I could hear the chicken keep saying “Glorify My Sacrifice”!!


So I decided to try my hand in roasting it in my trusty cute little OTG...after marinating it in whatever herbs and ingredients I had access to without doing any chopping, peeling, cutting! Couldn’t go through the grief of all that menial work with a bad cold!

CRISPY HERB CHICKEN


PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
  • Chicken Legs (Skinned)- ½ kg
  • Olive Oil- 1 tbsp
  • Garlic Powder (optional)- ½ tsp
  • Ginger-garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
  • Dried Oregano- 1 tbsp
  • Brown Sugar (can use honey as a substitute!) -1 tbsp [optional]
  • Parsley-1 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Salt to taste
Procedure-
  • Preheat the oven at 300 degree Celsius.
  • Mix all the ingredients together, making sure that each chicken piece is rubbed well with the marinade. I added sugar to give the chicken a crispy, toffee-like exterior and add a bit of sweetness to balance out the chillies.

You can refrigerate the chicken for half hour for better marinating but if you have guests over or just don’t want to wait, then cook straight away.
  • Place the marinated chicken in an oven baking pan, making sure that the pan is lined with aluminium foil as the sugar in the marinade would stick to the pan and make it difficult to clean otherwise!
            
NOTE: If you do not have an oven, then you can grill the chicken on a non stick pan as well. Cooking time would vary as per the mode of cooking.
  • Roast the chicken at 300 degree Celsius for 20 minutes or until it is crisp on the outside and the meat is cooked.
  • Turn the pieces once so that both the sides are cooked evenly and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
                    
Serve Hot with multigrain garlic bread!J


Hope you enjoyed reading this recipe as much as I enjoyed making it! Please do try it at home and let me know how it turned out!!J

Thursday, August 04, 2011

From The Kitchens of Gujarat-KHANDVI......Golden Rolls Specked Wt Black Pearls!

These days I have been facing a tough time keeping my mind off desserts, because most times than not, I end up stuffing my big mouth with the experiments and then crying big tears of regret when the desserts find a permanent residence on my hips! So, I decided that I would experiment still...after all it is a crime to bury one’s culinary skills (ok! ok! I can hear my friends laughing over that one!) just because the weighing scale complains of physical abuse every Sunday morning!
So, time for me to try my hand on some easy, low calorie, glutton free savoury dishes! I have been trying to cut down on non vegetarian intake (No! Not because I thought “Save the Tiger” needs company with “Save the Fish, Chicken & Pig” support groups!! ;-) ) Simply because I want to figure out how the other half of the population survives!!
Now, as you all know, I am LAZY to the core and well do not like to follow the “Path Well Crowded by Other Amateur Cooks”. So what can be made that's vegetarian, easy, low calorie and incorporates well into these two qualities of mine that I just mentioned above??
Khandvi was the answer!!!
A typical Gujarati snack of thin, smooth rolls sprinkled with beautiful mustard seeds and curry leaves is something that few of us might not even like to eat but most of us enjoy without feeling guilty! The cooking process is unique and, while it may take a few tries to learn, is not difficult at all. The variations to Khandvi, from making it from chick pea flour (besan) to using yellow moong dal, all taste scrumptious.


Since I do not like to make even common things with the usual ingredients, I decided to make Khandvi using yellow moong dal as it makes it healthier than it already is!  

Try out this easy, quick recipe and you won’t need to head out to a sweets shop next time you want to have it!
MOONG DAL KHANDVI
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup soaked yellow moong dal
½ cup curd
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
Salt to taste

For The Tempering
1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
4-5 fresh Curry leaves
¼ tsp Asafoetida

For The Garnish
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

STEPS:

·       Drain and blend the moong dal in a mixer to a smooth paste, using 1 tbsp of water.
·       Combine the moong dal paste, curds, ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt in a microwave safe bowl and mix well.
·       Microwave on high for 7 minutes, stirring in between after every 2 minutes.
·       Spread the mixture thinly on the back of three 200 mm. (8") diameter thalis and allow to cool for five minutes.
·       Cut the Khandvi into 50 mm. (2") thick strips, carefully rolling up each strip.
·       For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
·       When they crackle, add the sesame seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida and pour on top of the prepared khandvis.
·       Serve, garnished with the coriander.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Cross Roads Of Life


Standing At Cross Roads, I Saw Two Paths...
One Strewn With Glitterin' Riches of Success..
The Other With You Standing Steady With Your Arms Outstretched...
I Made My Choice and Held Your Hand...
We Started a Journey Together,
Only to Part Our Separate Ways,
With Only the Memory of Your Twinkling Eyes,
Lighting My Way...
Our Paths Would Merge Once Again, Of that I Pray,
But Till Then, My Love, Be Happy n Remember Us With Joy Not Pain...

                                                                                                  - Radhika Arora

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Spiced Rum N Pumpk’in Up Cheesecake-A Dieter’s Delight!!





I confess! I have a sweet tooth...unfortunately my weighing scale also knows it! The constant tug of war between the stubborn never move an inch weighing scale and my jealous sweet craving makes me constantly scroll through Google. Oh...so tough not to give in and just indulgent but then conscious bites hard and so my quest for low calories, dieter friendly dessert that is not the run of the mill Indian rice pudding or custard etc but one that satisfies not only the experimental cook in me but the creative side as well!:)
So, in my search for that nutritional yet delicious dessert, I came across a recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake. It was basic, easy to make and not the usual thing you would find on the shelves of your favourite bakery. All the more reason to make it yourself so that you feel proud of contributing towards the welfare of weightwatchers...and well those who are lucky {read slim and blessed with high metabolism} can enjoy it as it doesn’t taste or look like ...yes, the cursed word...DIET FOOD!!;-)

Well, the recipe calls for Pumpkin..Yes! Yes! PUMPKIN...that poor undermined vegetable that is highly nutritional, versatile in usage-from savoury dishes to halwas to Halloween lanterns! It doesn’t have much smell or taste of its own and can therefore absorb any flavour you want it to...makes for a perfect low calorie cheesecake. So, Lets PUMPK’IN UP!!:-)
The only time consuming part was the puree preparation. The canned puree doesn’t work as its high on sodium and half of the nutrients are dead in it!
The recipe needs 2 cups of pure, unadulterated pumpkin puree. For the same, the steps are-
1.      One kilo of yellow pumpkin, cut into wedges that can be fitted into a roasting pan, washed and dried.
2.      Place the pieces in the pan skin side up, pouring one cup water so that the flesh can absorb some of the water during roasting and gets tenderized.

3.      Roast at 200° C for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
4.      Once cooked, let it cool a little, remove the flesh, blend it in the food processor and sieve it through a cheesecloth or fine strainer.
You have your homemade puree ready for use!!

Spiced Rum n Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Preparation Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderately Easy
INGREDIENTS-
Pastry Crust
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
6-8 dates
Dash of salt


PROCEDURE-
1.      Grind all ingredients in a food processor until crumbly and sticky.
2.      Press in the bottom and sides of a flan dish.
3.      Bake at 180° C for 5-7 minutes to set the crust.
Cheesecake Filling
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup Greek yogurt or hung curd
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon spiced rum
3-4 tablespoon of dark melted chocolate for marbling effect [optional]

PROCEDURE-
1.      Mix ingredients together in a food processor and pour into crust.

2.      Carefully spoon the chocolate sauce on top of the filling and with a toothpick, make swirling design to give a marbling effect. [You can leave this out as some people would find it strange to combine chocolate and pumpkin!!]


3.      Bake at 350 for 50 to 55 minutes until it’s set in the middle.
4.      Remove from oven and let it rest at room temperature till it’s cooled down.
5.      Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours till set.

Serve and Enjoy without any guilt!!! :-)