Crochet cap all done! - Tuesday Toot

This is indeed something that I feel I should toot about!! . I finished my very first crochet cap. 

Other that a doiley with lots of unexpected holes, I have not had anything to do with crochet...and this was done in school..a very long time back.. 

I actually had to re-educate myself on the basics and then go on from there...

Found this really nice crochet video online and followed it.. I started it one week back, but wasn't very sure how sucessful I'd be .

But as you can see, here's proof,... and I have embroidered a tiny silver leaf on it...

The Ninan Dip (mayo and curd)

This is a toot for a great creation that made so many meals memorable!

Made some kebabs with the leftover mince from the meatballs. We had bought some Kaboose (flat Lebanese bread).
Also had some nice pickles and relish that we had bought earlier, so all that was missing to make things complete, was our Ninan Dip.

This is a treat from our childhood days, bringing back lot of memories of great barbeques, picnics and dinners. Fried chicken, barbecued chicken, cutlets, fish-fingers, batter-fried prawns, everything tasted better with this dip. It was originally made by my dad's friend Ninan uncle, and everyone always called it Ninan's paste. But actually it is a little liquidy to be called a paste. And since we use it as a dip mainly, I decided to call it thus.

Mayonnaise - 1 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup
Red shallot - 2 (I used 1/4 of an onion)
Green chilly - 2 nos.
Coriander leaves - one bunch
Salt to taste

Put everything in the blender and pulse twice.
Sprinkle a bit of crushed pepper.

I just placed the kebab on Kaboose, added some finely sliced tomatoes and peppers, relish, pickles, and a liberal dose of the dip.....ummmm heavenly...It is something to toot about indeed...

Hummus (Chickpea dip) - Tuesday Toot

Anyone who is familiar with Hummus making will be wondering what there is to toot about...aah..but my hummus is made absolutely the tedious way..hence the toot!!!

Hummus is an absolute must in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is a great dip, and can be great combined with the various salads, kebabs, and other meat preparations.

Hummus is absolutely vegetarian and made predominantly from chickpeas (white kadala). Now a days it is very easy since there are canned chickpeas available. The next essential ingredient needed is tahina or paste made from white sesame seeds. (ellu /til). Yet again, tahina is also readily available in the market.

Despite all this wonder why I made mine from scratch? Simple..just to see if I could..!!!So this is how I made hummus..

Chickpeas dried - 1 cup
Soak overnight, wash and drain and cook them till tender.
Or drain 1 1/2 can of chick peas

Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
On a non-stick pan, dry-fry the sesame seeds, keep shaking or stirring to roast evenly, dont let them brown.

Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Garlic - 1 clove, crushed and minced
salt - to taste

Add the sesame seeds, salt, garlic and 2 tbsp oilve oil and grind to a paste. Now keep aside a few whole chickpeas for garnish and grind the rest. Mix well.

Lemon juice - 3 tbsp (or according to taste)

Add the lemon juice, the chickpea paste and another tablespoon of olive oil and blend well. (Take note that from 4 tbsp mentioned, we had used only half that)

Garnish with the whole chickpeas, olive oil and a spinkling of paprika powder.

Superb with fried chicken or kebabs.

Tomb raider T-Rex battle - Tuesday toot

Yay!!!!! I guess this is may not be something to toot about unless you happen to be soo computer (un)savvy like me!!

For the past 4 months I have been trying to get away from the jaws of the T-Rex, from the Lara croft Tomb raider anniversary edition game ,to no avail..

But today, I cracked it..after finally seeing the directions that appear simultaneously and not panicking and pressing all the buttons at once!!!!!!!!



My nearly two-year old, also realised that the lady did not get stuck between the bobo's (in her language) teeth and started jumping up and down, clapping.

SO, I am now stuck with the next part.

In case any of you want to know what i am talking about, check the link.

Inji curry (Pickled ginger) - my shortcut!

Vishu has come and gone, but I cannot get over the nostalgia that day invoked...especially since I did not have much time to prepare one of my favourite things ...Inji curry.

There are many people who call this Puli Inji. Puli is tamarind and Inji is ginger. This is one dish that gets mentioned even in the `Aithihyamala' as being equivalent to 108 dishes.

Anyway, I had bought some ginger with the intention of making a Vishu Sadya, but I am finally getting round to it today. So I guess this can be mentioned as my Tuesday Toot too!!!!



Inji/ ginger - 250 gms (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 6-7 (chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4 stems
Red chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida powder - a dash
Tamarind pulp - extracted from 3 lemon-sized balls
Jaggery - according to preference
Salt - to taste


Soak the finely chopped ginger in water and drain well...In a deep-bottom pan add 1 tbsp oil, when hot, add the mustard seeds. when they splutter, add the curry leaves and the ginger . Keep stirring to fry the ginger evenly till golden brown.... now add the chopped green chillies..make a paste of the red chilli powder and the turmeric powder and fry till the oil comes on top..now add the tamarind pulp and boil..add the salt, jaggery and asafoetida and take off the stove. When cool, store in an air-tight jar and keep in the fridge to last a few weeks....not that mine will last even 1 week...

I cut the pieces a bit bigger b'coz I love to bite the ginger.