Monday 18 December 2017

Mini Blueberry Pie



In everyday language, a berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Berries are usually juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet or sour, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackcurrant. The scientific usage of the term "berry" differs from common usage. In scientific terminology, a berry is a fruit produced from the ovary of a single flower in which the outer layer of the ovary wall develops into an edible fleshy portion.

Berries are eaten worldwide and often used in jams, preserves, cakes or pies. Some berries are commercially important. The berry industry varies from country to country as do types of berries cultivated or growing in the wild. Some berries such as raspberries and strawberries have been bred for hundreds of years and are distinct from their wild counterparts, while other berries, such as loganberries and cloud berries, grow almost exclusively in the wild.

A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients.

Pies are defined by their crusts. A filled pie (also single-crust or bottom-crust), has pastry lining the baking dish, and the filling is placed on top of the pastry but left open. A top-crust pie has the filling in the bottom of the dish and is covered with a pastry or other covering before baking. A two-crust pie has the filling completely enclosed in the pastry shell. Shortcrust pastry is a typical kind of pastry used for pie crusts, but many things can be used, including baking powder biscuits, mashed potatoes, and crumbs. 


Blueberry pie is a pie with a blueberry filling. Blueberry pie is considered one of the easiest pies to make because it does not require pitting or peeling of fruit. It usually has a top and bottom crust. The top crust can be a circular crust but the pie can also have a crumble crust or no top crust at all. Blueberry pies are often eaten in the summertime because that is when blueberries are in season. A typical ingredient for blueberry pie are rinsed and stemmed blueberries. The berries can be frozen or fresh. Other ingredients include flour, sugar, vanilla and butter. recipes may vary ingredients. this is our 125th #Foodiemonday #Bloghop event, and this time we are with #berriesrecipes. My contribution for this event is those blueberry mini pie.



Ingredients:

    1 double pie crust recipe
    2 cups blueberries
    1 tablespoon flour
    1 teaspoon cornstarch
    3 tablespoon sugar
    1 teaspoon lemon zest
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Method:

    1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C.
    2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and sprinkle over blueberries.
    3. Line pie dish with three small pie crust. Pour berry mixture into the crust, and dot with butter.     Cut remaining pastry into round shape and make a top.
   4. Crimp and flute edges.
   5. Bake pie on lower shelf of oven for about 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Monday 11 December 2017

Dahi kanji - Odiya Cuisine



Compared to other regional Indian cuisines, Odia cuisine uses less oil and is less spicy while nonetheless remaining flavorful. Rice is the staple food of this region. Mustard oil is used in some dishes as the cooking medium, but ghee is preferred in temples. In old times food was traditionally served on banana leaves or disposable plates made of Sal leaves. Odia cooks, particularly from the Puri region, were much sought after due to their ability to cook food in accordance with Hindu scriptures. During the 19th century, many Odia cooks were employed in Bengal and they took many Odia dishes with them. This period also saw a heavy demand for Brahmin cooks, leading many Odia cooks to fake their castes. Yogurt is used in dishes. Many sweets of the region are based on chhena (cheese). 

Odia cooks, particularly from the Puri region, were much sought after due to their ability to cook food in accordance with Hindu scriptures. During the 19th century, many Odia cooks were employed in Bengal and they took many Odia dishes with them. This period also saw a heavy demand for Brahmin cooks, leading many Odia cooks to fake their castes. Yogurt is used in dishes. Many sweets of the region are based on chhena (cheese). The food in the region around Puri-Cuttack is greatly influenced by the Jagannath Temple. On the other hand, kalonji and mustard paste are used mostly in the region bordering Bengal and curries tend to be sweeter. In the region closer to Andhra Pradesh, curry tree leaves and tamarind are used more. The Brahmapur region has influences of South Indian cuisine and the Telugu people living there have invented new Odia dishes. 

Kanji is an authentic Oriya dish that is quite popular in Southern part of Orissa. It is basically a soupy based dish like Dal with a unique sour taste. Normally Kanji is cooked during summer. Since the Curd with lots of vegetables are being used as main ingredients, this seems quite a healthy dish by nature. This is our #Foodiemonday #Bloghop event, and this time we are back with #Odiyacuisine and my contribution is this Dahi kanji. check out the recipe below and enjoyyy this delicacy.


Ingredients:

1 Cup Curd
3 Tbsp Besan
1 Small piece Pumpkin, diced
1 medium Radish, cut in round shape
1 Green Chilly
6 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
3 Red Chilly
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
5 Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Mustard Oil
31/2 Water 

Method:

1. Take a bowl and beat the Curd. Add Salt, Water, Besan, Turmeric Powder in curd and mix properly so that it doesn’t get any lumps. Cut Pumpkin in dice shape.

2. Cut Green Chilly in lengthwise. Take a pan and heat 1tbsp of Oil and fry the Radish for few minutes in low flame. Take a heavy bottom pan & add the curd mixture with Green Chilly and boil it for another 5-7 minutes.

3. Add all the vegetables except radish and boil for 5-7 mins. Now add Radish and again boil till all the vegetables gets tender. Take the pan out from heat and keep aside. Heat another 1 tbsp of Oil in a Frying Pan.

4. Add Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Asafoetida and fry till it crackles. Add Red Chilly Whole, Curry Leaves, Garlic and fry for 1 min. Add this Tadka in the vegetable pan and mix it well.

Your dahi Kanji is ready to serve.