Exactly a week ago, I got a request from a reader for Arabiata! Pasta arabiata or Penne all’arabiata is one of the most simplest of all pasta recipes (as if most of the other pasta recipes aren’t simple enough!). I have made it often enough, hence was surprised that I hadn’t posted it already at Chef In you. Anyways, if you love ‘hot’ dishes, then this is perfect for you. Next time you have Tomato season or if you grow your own tomatoes – then don’t forget to make this dish which glorifies fresh tomatoes. Using ripe tomatoes is the key.
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Read the rest of Penne All’arabiata at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: olive oil, onions, Parmesan, red chillies, tomatoes

Nothing gives a cook, especially a blogger, more satisfaction than getting feedback about her recipes. Few kind words, few “thanks” and tons of emails letting the cook know that her recipe turned out well etc. always play a pivotal role for all the effort she puts into her blog. I take this post to reach out to all my readers (who have commented and who are yet to) to personally thank them for trying out my recipes especially to those who take the time and energy to let me know about the same too.
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Read the rest of From My Kitchen to Yours – Thattai Recipe at Chef In You

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This recipe is in my drafts for like ages. To be precise 8 months!. But after getting repeated recipe requests for Baklava, I had to do “open sesame” and post this now. Why the hesitation? This Baklava is the Best one I have ever tasted, it just was the photo. It simply does not do justice to the heavenly sensation that it creates in your mouth and down your throat. I was waiting for the moment, when I would make this sinful indulgence again, but well it just did not arise.

Anyways, I personally think that we should ban Baklava. yes, you heard right. Its worse than drugs – makes you a die hard addict. I mean see it this way – I, don’t love sweets. Period. I am among the 0 .00000001% of women who DON’T go gaga over chocolate. In fact I run the other way. Sugar syrup makes me hurl and even the smell of desserts in general does not give that velvety esthesis which it usually induces in average humans. Inspite of all this – I did a complete U-Turn and all but finished a huge plate of Baklava all by myself. I simply couldn’t stop myself from reaching the fridge like 10 times a day to fork a mouthful!
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Read the rest of Turkish Baklava at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: almonds, cas, caster sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon, walnuts

Nothing beats a warming soup. And with so many pumpkin based recipes that i have been making, it was inevitable that Pumpkin soup had to be one of them. I know I had made a Roasted Pumpkin soup long back, but then there are always variations galore. I had this one recipe from a neighbor which has such a creamy texture, that I had to make it. What more, it had this one ingredient which I am absolutely crazy about. Peanut Butter.
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Read the rest of Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Soup at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: peanut bu, peanut butter, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes

Have you ever been a situation when you wanted to throw out all things complicated – be it from serious life to career issues to as simple as clearing out a crumpled up wardrobe to your bookshelf? Ah! I know how it feels. Sometimes I feel that we all make things too complicated when they need not be. A simple solution is all it probably needs. Simplicity is the best cure for most of our problems but well, it can be the hardest thing to get (what a paradox!).
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Read the rest of Cilantro Lime Rice (chipotle style) at Chef In You

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Post tags: Basmati rice, cilantro, lime

I don’t think I would be too wrong in estimating that at least 95% of the people love risotto! I am a die hard fan. Give me mushroom, give me saffron or any other vegetable, I would first think of how I can make risotto with it. And with pumpkin season on, can it be left far behind? Its surprising that I have received 13 mails in the last 3 months asking me for a Risotto recipe made without using wine which plays an integral part in this dish – questions like ‘Can you make risotto without wine?’ or ‘Do we have to have to change ingredients to make risotto without it’?
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Read the rest of Brown Butter Pumpkin Risotto at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arborio rice, nutmeg, onions, Parmesan, pumpkin, romano, squash

If you have gaped at every single page of Harry Potter book like me, then you would remember these lines from HP and HBP

“Why are you worrying about YOU-KNOW-WHO? You should be worrying about U-NO-POO – The constipation sensation that’s gripping the nation” – outside Fred and George’s shop“

LOL! Every time I read it, I laugh like I am reading it for the first time. Those two are a riot! Similarly though this is not a constipation matter, there sure is a sensation that’s gripping the nation and that’s Goji Berries. More and more people are curious about them and their benefits! I think it started with a claim by few companies that a man named “Li Qing Yuen” lived to a ripe old age of 252 yrs after having consumed Goji berries daily ( its an unsupported claim though!). I am not sure if I really want to live that long! The idea of cherishing every day sort of diminishes with the thought that I have many more to come!!!! Oh well – call me weird but that’s exactly what I feel – and that’s precisely why don’t want to be a vampire either! And that could be the reason why even that devilishly handsome Robert Pattinson will never convince me to become one!!!!!!
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Read the rest of Sweet Potatoes Mash with Goji Berries at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: ginger, goji berries, sweet potatoes, walnuts

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

For a person who has never heard of Macaroons before (leave alone a french one at that), is completely lousy at making pastry/meringue based desserts, who laughed at the term ‘feet’ when talking about cookies, I really had this coming – thanks to this months Daring Baker’s Challenge. You would think that with such a handicap I would have started the challenge the first thing in the month? Nah! I am never going to prosper – last minute yet again it was and this time it punished me severely! 8 BATCHES of Macaroons are lying in a zip lock bag in my kitchen right now – looking like anything but Macaroons – Utter failure! And when I finished off all the aged egg whites, almond flour and the powdered sugar – I see a little light at the end of the tunnel.
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Read the rest of French Macaroons (Macaron) with Chocolate filling at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: almonds, Chocolate, corn syrup, eggs, heavy cream

I am such a wholegrain freak. I look for ways and means to add in whole grains in my diet – be it during breakfast, lunch, dinner and even desserts. Its the pumpkin season and its inevitable that our mind goes to the classic pumpkin pie whenever we think of pumpkins. What could be more better than eating the rich pie but getting nutrition along with it.
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Read the rest of Wholegrain Pumpkin Pie at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: brown sugar, cinnamon, eggs, ginger powder, half and half, honey, milk, nutmeg, oat flour, pumpkin, squash, wheat flour

Its hard not to like Muffins. I especially dig the types which are healthy and low fat yet don’t feel like one. For some reason, low fat baked goods seem to have such a bland and earthy taste sometimes that it completely throws me off! I mean, wanting to make people eat healthy should be encouraged isn’t it? Why make it this way then? A friend of mine recently told me if it was not for “such” health foods how would the ‘market’ make us buy all those ‘diet pills’ and god knows what else! Valid point there With all this technology and the rapid advancement that Man seems to be making, one would assume that we are getting stronger – only that it does not seem to work that way!
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Read the rest of Spiced Pumpkin Bran Muffins at Chef In You

© DK for Chef In You, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, buttermilk, cinnamon, eggs, ginger powder, molasses, pumpkin, squash, wheat bran, wheat flour, yogurt