Feeling Hot Hot Hot......

The best Spring and Summer days that Seattle has seen this year I would say although the raising heat can be a bit of a bummer.

It gets so bright over here that it's hard to drive around or walk outside without sunglasses. While loads of sunscreen, sunglasses and hat can protect your skin,  eyes and keep you from getting a headache, water helps you to keep yourself hydrated and refrain from sunstroke.

At home this is what I have been sipping into for the past week. Chilled Green Tea during the morning and Salty-Spicy Lassi for evenings and night. Of course healthy eating too.

I use Bigelow Green Tea with some Lemon rinds and ginger while boiling. Slice up some Lime add it to the bottom of the jug and refrigerate it. Add some ice cubes when you ever you feel thirsty.

Whip all these in a blender and enjoy - buttermilk (store bought) with some green chilli, ginger, black salt, salt

After all the weight gain and eating disorder that I picked up during the summer vacation trip, these two drinks are helping me take control of my bloating and regulating my appetite.

I still need to start on my usual walk/jog to bring my weight back under control. Haven't had the courage to set out since its hot outside even during evenings. Sunscreen and Hat don't seem to have any effect on my skin anymore. Nonetheless I still won't complain about it. It's beautiful to see WA at its glory. I know I will get to my walking/jog routine soon because I LOVE my outdoor time. Helps me destress and gain back some sanity to the hard working mind and body.

Try these and let me know how it works for you, if it doesn't I think its time you look for the red straw that I have in my picture. Probably that's integral to this trick :)

Enjoy your summer days.

Left Over Rice

I always end up with leftover rice. We find find ways to revive it one way or another. Usually I end up making fodni rice or lemon rice or tamarind rice. For a change I found this effortless recipe that brings out a different outcome.  I am sure my gujarathi friends might already know about this one.

I don't have exact proportions but I am sure you can easily figure it out.

What do we need?

Leftover Rice (of course cooked!)
Gram flour (chickpea flour, besan .....). Use the Gram flour wisely. It's more of a binding agent.
Garam Masala Pwd (any spice that you may want to use)
Red Chilli Pwd (Paprika, Chilli Flakes ...)
Turmeric Pwd
Salt

Mix all the ingredients very well until it becomes pasty (I trusted my clean hands to do the dirty job).

Make an oblongated roll (size doesn't matter here).

Steam these with the lid on for 25 - 30 min or until nothing looks pasty anymore.

Slice the roll into circular bite size pieces.

In a small skillet prepare tadka of sesame seeds (optional), mustard seeds, black gram (urad daal)  and pinch of asafetida (hing).

Add the sliced rice-chickpea flour wheels.

Mix them until the tadka is coated.

 Turn the stove off, cover and let it sit for 5 min.

Serve with ketchup or green chutney or eat just like that.

Banana And Nutella

Simplicity is bliss. Here is an easy (but not quick) dessert for your hot summer days. It  just needs 2 ingredients. Banana and Nutella :). You are welcome to add your own spark to this simple recipe.

When I first saw this in Epicurean Delights FB page I wasn't sure how this would be possible. I did not hesitate to try because it was simple and I did not have to buy anything fancy  or invest a lot of time.

So here is how it goes -
Slice Banana and deep freeze it (may be overnight).
Take it out and let it sit on the counter for about 15 - 20 min
For every medium size banana add 1/4 of a tbsp of nutella
Blend the 2 in a blender. That's it. Your creamy ice cream texture dessert is ready to be consumed.

Note: My blender isn't very good, so i added 2 tbsp of milk before blending. But that kind of loosen the consistency and made it very liquid creamy than the ice cream texture that I was looking for. If that happens to you too, then just set it in the freezer again for few hours and you are good to go.

Enjoy!

Lettuce-Cucumber Salad (Indian Prep)

Traditionally an Indian meal comprises just one course meal. Everything is laid out on your plate (Thali) and you don't start eating unless everything is actually served. From there on you request additional servervings of what you like in any random order. So, most everything (including salads) inadvertently becomes your side dish. This pattern of serving is unlike the western culture.

Here is a salad recipe that I have adapted from my mother-in-law. This salad has never failed to tingle the taste of my guests. I hope you can benefit the same experience too.

Lettuce (Shredded)
Roasted Peanuts (Unsalted, De-shelled, Crushed)
Cucumber (Peeled and Diced into small cubes)
Sugar (1/2 tbsp)
Lime or Lemon Juice
Salt (according to taste)

Mix above ingredients in a bowl.

Oil (1 tbsp )
Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp )
Green Chili (3 or 4 slit or diced)
Turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
Asafoetida (pinch)


Heat oil, pop mustard seeds and turn off the heat. Add green chili, turmeric, asafoetida and mix.
Pour this mixture (tadka) on top of the salad.


Since this salad demands Indian approach in preparation the suggested way of devouring is as a sides (along with Indian bread Roti, Naan, Paratha).

Cute Chocolate Cup

This weekend it was project chocolate cups (again).  I made a disastrous attempt on it a couple of weeks back. It was horrible having chocolate splurt all over my kitchen (including ceiling and in the crevice of window blinds). 30 min into the project ended up in 3hrs of cleaning. My bad. But that didn't deter me.


Double boil Semi Sweetened Baker's Chocolate.

After my 1st failed attempt I thought it might just be a good idea to do the dipping thing in the backyard/garage just to avoid any mishap. I set the dipped chocolate balloon in the refrigerator for faster solidification. I guess if you set it outside it takes about 30min. It took just 10-12min setting in the fridge.

After poking the balloon with a toothpick, leave it like that for for 10min. This will make it easier to draw the remaining balloon from the interior of the cup.

Voila! there you go. Now fill it with whatever delectable treat you want and enjoy.

We enjoyed it with some fruit cream. Next time, I want to try mousse.

Someone is very very happy with all the deliciousness.

Can I eat the chocolate bowl? Yes dear.

Click here for the video that inspired me.

Here is another one for some variety.

Contributing this post to ABC Wednesday, Round 15

From A Smoothie To Popsicle

Have you ever had to over indulge yourself in a smoothie whenever you make at home . In my house, most of the times "Yes". There is always a little extra which we struggle to finish by making a pig out of ourselves.

No one likes to throw away a perfectly blissful smoothie and storing it as is in the fridge doesn't always tastes good later. I guess, the  tartness from the berries whey's the milk?

This time instead of binging on it, I sanely poured the extra ones in my popsicle mould and froze it. This way I could enjoy my smoothie at the right quantity and also save on the leftovers for later.

What went in my smoothie/popsicle? I eyeballed my quantities and I am sure most of you do the same. Or if you already have a perfect smoothie recipe then by all means go for it.

Strawberries

Greek Yogurt 

Milk/whipping cream 

Honey/Sugar 

Any essence like Rose/Vanilla 

Chocolate pieces

Blend them and have a sip to beat the heat. The little chocolate pieces nudging in between are a treat :) 

I am going to try all variations possible. Tonight its going to be Blueberry Smoothie and I am purposely going to make some extra for a frozen treat later. 

PS: the popsicle did have ice crystals the way I made it. 

How many of you agree that kids tend to like snacks that are sweet, cold, has chocolate and is served on a stick? I guess, a little icecrystals wouldn't matter huh?

Saporous Salad

Is there a salad without the leafy content? Although these days Kale and Arugula has captured the Salad bowls, but I couldn't seem to enjoy them as much as I enjoy Lettuce. Among all the variety of Lettuce's available, Iceberg is my all time favorite. It has more water content (in other words fiber) than any other.

Couscous (Cooked as per package instructions)
Lettuce (Shredded)
Red Onion (Diced small)
Avocado (Diced small)
Cucumber (Peeled and Diced small)
Can of Garbanzo beans (alternatively you can pressure cook at home)
Can of Kidney beans (alternatively you can pressure cook at home)
Lots of Cilantro (My go to herb)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Substitutes and Variations:
You can substitute Couscous with Quinoa.
By choice I don't use tomatoes in my salads, but its upto you.
Cilantro has been my first choice of herb. I guess parsley would be good too.
If you like to treat yourself, you can even sprinkle Parmesan Cheese or Feta.
In addition to Feta, Olives will make it all the way mediterranian.

Vinaigrettes:
I am also sharing few vinaigrettes that I make to flavor my salad, but you can skip this and eat what I call virgin salad with just salt and pepper:). You are welcome to plus or minus ingredients.

Option 1: Balsamic Vinegar (Fig Flavor), Lime or Lemon Juice , Olive Oil,  Salt, Pepper, Horseradish & Wasabi Paste, Dijon Mustard.
Horseradish tends to be a little hot and may be even rancid so use it wisely.

Option 2: Balsamic white Vinegar, Lime or Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and unsweetened cocoa powder.
I know, that cocoa powder is a surprise isn't it? The cocoa gives out a bitter taste and mixing with acidic flavor is something your taste buds may not have discovered yet. Of course use the cocoa wisely due of its bitterness.

Option 3: Balsamic Vinegar, Lime or Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Honey, Dijon Mustard and powdered or crushed almonds and walnuts.
Hmmm....Hmmmm.....yumm...to the sapid nutty flavor. You are welcome to substitute your choice of nuts/seeds.

Tip: I serve my vinaigrettes separately.

Moth Beans Salad Or Side Or Snack

Recipe adapted from my friend Teena.

This was first introduced to me as a evening snack item at Teena's place and I thought how wonderfully this could easily be even a Salad or Side dish. I have had this with Roti and I have had this even as a dinner just as Salad. It's hearty and filling for me and of course when its beans it's got to be nutritious isn't it?

Here is my version, I am sure you can make your very own adaptation just as I did.  I am going to defer the quantity to you guys since I believe it is irrelevant and can be prepared according to your very own likes/dislikes and preferences.

What do you need?

Moth Beans
Boiled Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)
      I always prefer Red Potatoes over any other variety due to less starch content.
Cucumber (Peeled and diced)
Green Chilies (diced)
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper
Black Salt (or anything that has black salt - Jal jeera powder /Pani Puri Masala.....)

Method:
Soak Moth Beans for couple of hours.
Steam or pressure cooked up to 1 whistle.
     Note: The beans tend to get over cooked and loses its form so I avoid cooking it for longer duration.
Let the pressure release and cool down. Drain excess water and if possible dry out.
     Note: I boil my beans a day earlier, drain thoroughly and refrigerate it. This gives me the dry texture                that I look for.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

I don't feel the need for chounk, tadka, vagar at all. Like it as is. I also avoid cooking beans with Salt for no good reason, but I prefer it that way.

If I am serving it as side, I leave it at that.
If I am serving it as salad, I incorporate Lettuce. I don't use tomato, but that's an option to try.
If I am serving it as a snack, I fold in something crunchy (Punjabi mix, Mixture, Chips...)

Serve it with Chai at Snack during winter or with cool Jaljeera during hot summers.
          Note: I mix store bought Jaljeera powder with Soda or Sprite. It tastes amazingly refreshing.

Enjoy it whichever way you like,

Measuring Tape Vs Weighing Scale

Today I am going to indite a few things that helped me shed my excess baggage and also helped me keep it that way. My goal was to get to the size I felt comfortable with, than about the weight. You may ask don't they go hand in hand - but to me size matters the most {if you know what i man} :).
I have known friends of mine who weigh more than I do and yet they have a svelte figure than I do. I have also known people who exhibit the opposite quality too. So I was very clear in my mind when I started off with this plan (3 yrs ago) that my ultimate goal is getting back in size than focusing on my weight. I couldn't care any less if I was still 5 or 10 lbs more than my pre-maternity weight. Of course I did lose weight eventually.

If you are struggling with obesity or if you are looking for quick turnarounds then probably this may not interest you. However you can always inculcate in eating the better way. Here is how I worked my way up.

Doctor checkup - Know your numbers.

I went for a full checkup to ensure I am not diabetic or have issues with BP, cholesterol, triglyceride, hemoglobin. I was happy to learn that I was good on all those grounds. At the very onset I want to put a caveat that I embarked on this only after I knew I was ok with the majority on my "know your numbers" report.

Food Habit - Satisfy not sacrifice.

Food is an important part of a balanced diet. I personally feel that the trick of abstinence won't help you get far with this routine (unless its  something that is bad for your health). My motto was eat everything you like but in moderation. If there is a way you can make a healthy swap try that, if not it's ok to indulge in a sinful dessert once in a while. Rationing is the key.

Eating Habit - Good things come in small packages. 

Reduce your meal portion and eat more frequently.

Exercise - Move your muscle.

An hours worth of workout at least 5 days a week will help you reach your goal faster. For me mostly its cardio. Running was my prime card. Just move it the way you love.

Salt - Be frugal.

In our case we already had the habit of going low on salt but we deliberately made attempts to lower that even further.  People think adding less salt to your food also lead to problems. I agree with that 100%, but all I am saying is that we can curb the amount in our food without jeopardizing the actual quantity needed because I am pretty sure that we almost never look into the that we also get sodium from fruits, snacks, vegetables too that we consume. Click here to find more on the nutrient on fruits and vegetables.

Water - Go above and beyond.

They say drink minimum 8 glasses, so I made sure I drank at least 10 glasses (8oz each time). I used to have my reminder set for that at first to bring that to practice. A few noteworthy things on water consumption are -

• I prefered lukewarm water 1st thing in the morning (after brushing tough!). 
• I would suggest alternating between hot and cold water every other glass. Room temperature is also ok instead of cold. I hate ice cold water cos of my sinus and sensitivity to teeth.
• I would suggest drinking a glass of water 10-15min before you have tea or coffee (anytime during the day).
• I would suggest drinking a glass of water about 15-30 min before a meal.
• I would suggest drinking a glass of water just before going to bed. 

Green Tea - Not everybody's cup of tea.

I must say not everyone will like it. But it's not that hard to cultivate your taste for this. Thanks to my friend Teena who introduced me to this wondrous substance. It does help. I am not trying to put a spin on it by saying you are going to see a drastic difference just by consuming that. But I can promise that habituating to this tea can only improve your metabolic activity. There is a plethora of information on the internet about green tea benefits, please care to read some if you haven't. Note: I count this as a glass of water.

Calcium - Popping pills.

Add calcium to a low fat diet. It plays a crucial role in regulating how fat is stored and broken down by the body. It's thought that the more calcium there is in a fat cell, the more fat it will burn. Recommend checking with your doctor on this though.

Fiber Supplement - Stir to hear the whirr.

Drink twice or thrice a day dissolving in water, once especially at night before going to bed. I prefer it this way than those gummies or pills. Note: I count this as a glass of water.

Oats - Light as a feather.

This is another item that I made mandatory in my diet. Once or twice a week we would make oats porridge and eat it along with curry in any form for dinner. We love it. I bet this is also acquired taste. Since dinner need not be a heavy meal having it at night is the best time IMHO. Your tummy will thank for going easy on it once in a while. Thanks to my MIL who introduced me to this light weight item. 

Egg - No sunny side up.

Egg whites help burn fat. Try including only the whites in your breakfast (boiled/poached/omelette).

Green Chilies - Hot and sexy. 

The heat that the chilli gives out is an agent to actually sort of help reduce fat storage. However don't go too much on it, since it has side effects. But including some heat element to your food might actually help. Remember green chilies, not red chilies or chili powder as much.

Additionally, have included - Multigrain Bread, Quinoa, Avocado, Almonds (unroasted/unsalted), Berries (mainly Blueberries), Raisins, Dark chocolate.

It took me a solid 4 months to even start seeing any result/change. But from there on I knew I was on the right track. Patience is a virtue and I guess I exhibited that for the most part. I was between size 5 and 6 (of course US size chart) 3 years ago. My goal was to get to size 2 or 1. I even got to size 0 just for a brief period (but I hated myself  that way). Now I am at size 2 and hoping to keep it that way.

I know, we all wish we were born with cast iron stomach. Since that isn't true a little patience and discipline is essential. True discipline is really just self-remembering, no forcing or fighting is necessary. I hope some of these tips come handy and help you achieve your goal too.
Good luck for your Good health.

Flatizza - Not Subway Style

Saturday we took our son on Easter egg hunt (which was his 1st one since he was born). After which we went to meet a very dear friend to congratulate the couple since they are on their family way yet again.
I was kind of bored to come home and cook a meal so we decided to eat at Denny's that afternoon. Then we were off to do some grocery shopping at Costco. Usually at Costco on a Saturday its like a party. The store offers samplers every corner and people are swarming around for some appetizing items. Well what else one needs on a wet saturday afternoon - a little free food never hurts your tummy isn't it.

But have you ever tried going to grocery shopping after having a hearty meal (stomach full)? Our reaction is - Oh no not one more morsel!  Sort of an aversion towards food. we hardly end up buying any grocery. I guess its psychological.

I bought a  packet of Pita bread and that gave me an idea for Pizza night.

What do you need (For 6 pizza's)?

Pita bread

1/2 Red onion (Diced)

2 Tomatoes (Diced)

1 Red Bell Pepper (Diced)

Pizza Tomato Sauce or even ketchup would do

Mozzarella shredded (Or any cheese that you may have at home)

For meat lovers - Sorry, I am a vegetarian. But you guys know the best, don't you?

Do I have to say how to prep for Pizza? A picture speaks thousand words. Hope this hints you enough :)

Let the Oven preheat at 350 degrees and then place your pizzas (on an oven tray) for about 20 -25 minutes. Voila! dinner is served.

If you don't want to use the oven, you can use your good old skillet (Tava). You will have to cook 'em individually on medium flame with a lid on it. FYI, I haven't tried this method, but that ought to do the work. 

Don't you all love it when you don't have to clean up after dinner. So, for me it's got to be the oven. I even served it on disposable plates leaving with literally no cleanup. Oh well, I did use a pizza cutter :)

Not bad at all for a Saturday movie night with your kid(s). We saw this advertisement for new "Flatizza from Subway" while eating and my son said - hey mommy you made us a Flatizza :) and that's how my pizza got re-christened as Flatizza (but not subway style).

Fajita Casserole - 25 Steps To A Tex-Mex World

Mexican food has been my weakness in terms of food. It never fails to satiate my taste buds. May be the subtle resemblance to Indian ingredients? Most mexican flavored food joints have something that vegetarians like me can devour.When we are on the road I get excited thinking about how much I am going to hog on Taco Bell, Taco Time, Chipotle, Qdoba or any local mexican joints. Slurp!

Last weekend we went to a mexican restaurant (Cactus @ Bellevue Square Mall) to celebrate my birthday. Duh! it had to be Mexican. I chose Mexican cuisine the year before too. I seem to gravitate towards it. I had a great evening with friends and yes the food too was amazing.

Looks like I have been on a (Mex style) eating binge and the binge continued this weekend too except it was a cook and dine experience at home. Traditionally mexican food is incomplete without any kind of meat. But my vegetarianism calls for a recipe that can keep my integrity safe.

The attempt was to try a Fajita Casserole but I guess Fajita by itself will be good too.
What I like about this recipe is it takes less effort and it is scrumptious.

What do you need?

• Bottle of Salsa Verde
• Bottle of Picante Salsa
• Can of Red Beans (Kidney Beans) Washed and Drained 
• Bottle of picked Jalapeno Optional with kids
• Sour Cream
• Your choice of cheese. Grated
• Fajita Seasoning 1 tblspn 
• Cayenne Pepper 1/2 tblspn or more if you like it spicy
• Salt
• Oil 2 tblspn
• Half Red Onion. Julienne Cut
• 2 Green Pepper. Julienne Cut
• 1 Red Pepper.    Julienne Cut
• Iceberg Lettuce. Julienne Cut
• Corn Tortillas (Soft). About 10 to 12.  I prefer Corn Tortillas (Soft) over Flour Tortillas.
• Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. Optional Ingredient

What did  I do with those above list of items?

1. For cooking the Fajita mix use flat pan to heat oil.
2. Sweat some onions
3. Add 1/2 Fajita Seasoning, Cayenne Pepper and 1/2 of Salt
4. Mix well
5. Add both peppers and let them sweat a bit
6. Mix Well
7. Add the remaining Fajita Seasoning and remaining Salt
8. Saute 
9. Cook in low to medium heat
10. Do not cover
11. Cook until its half done
12. Turn off the heat and let it cool down for few minutes say 10min
13. Preheat oven at 350 degrees
14. In a deep baking dish pour some Salsa Verde, Salsa Picante and the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup to cover the bottom of the pan.
15. Prep the Tortillas with a little of Fajita mix, a little of Beans and roll it to place the rolled side down
16. Repeat step 3 until you completely pack the Tortillas in the pan
17. Pour more Salsa Verde, Salsa Picante and the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup to cover the top.
18. Sprinkle Grated Cheese generously
19. Cover the baking dish with foil 
20. Bake it in the oven for about 15min.
21. Turn off the oven and leave the dish in the oven for about 5-10min

How did I like it served?

1. Place a large scoop of the melting cheese topped (mouth watering) casserole on a plate.
2. Garnished with shredded Iceberg Lettuce
3. A dollop of snow white sour cream (well a little more than a dollop is just fine too) 
4. Threw in a handful of crushed tortilla chips...

Buen Provecho! Sorry I got no pictures to show you, was busy relishing.  ...hmmmm...hmmmm...yummmm

Hope you try it too.

If you are serving the Fajita style then instead of putting salsa verde and salsa picante in the baking dish pour them in the Tortilla along with the rest of the serving / garnishing things too before you stuff it in your mouth.

The advantage that I feel making a Casserole is that it leaves less mess while serving which means more time for devouring. 

Shahi Gobi - A Different Take On Cooking Cauliflower

Last night we had Amit's MBA school friends team over for dinner. Typical Indian cuisine was on the cards by popular demand. I had to keep it the restaurant style (known dishes). Even then I wanted to bring something different at the table. So, I thought I would make Shahi Gobi if I find time and energy. Well I eventually did. In my household everyone loves this Shahi gobi preparation especially on hot Nan (Including my boy).
I first tried this out on New Year's day and since then I have made this at least 5 times (not that it took me 5 attempts to perfect the dish but we loved it so much that we wanted more of it.). With every new try I would tweak the recipe a little though.

The best part of this recipe is using a whole cauliflower as opposed to making florets.
The gravy for the dish I would say whatever you are comfortable with but I am going to provide my version here that I think was the best tasting.  It looks absolutely fantastic when the dish is served (If you manage to keep the cauliflower in wholesome).

So, here it goes -
1)  Wash your cauliflower and take the extra leaves off of the flower.
2)  Take a deep cooking dish and place the cauliflower upside down (flower side down).
3)  Fill water only up to the point where it covers the flower portion and leave the stem out of the water.
4)  Add the following in the pot of water-
       Haldi (Turmeric pwd 1 tsp)
       Mirchi Powder (Paprika pwd 1 tsp)
       Dhania+Jeera Powder (Corriander+Cummin pwd 1 tsp)
       Salt - just enough to get absorbed into the flowers.
5) Start your stove and blanch the Cauliflower for just about 10 min on the flower side down and about 3 min after flipping it upside.
  Tip: I wouldn't recommend covering the dish after you flip the cauliflower.
6) Turn off the stove and let it cool for bit .
   Tip: If you have a hot plate/coil please remove it off the stove.

While that is cooling, lets get started with the gravy.

For gravy:
Shallots - (2 to 3) or Red Onion (1) - Sliced/Diced
Roma Tomatoes - (3 to 4) -Sliced/Diced
    Tip: you can use 1 can of Diced Tomatoes, I love the gravy color when I use this.
Thai Green Chili - 2 (Slit)
Turmeric pwder (1/2 tsp)
Garam Masala Powder (2 tsp) (Its an Indian spice mixture available in Indian grocery store)
 Tip: Add more if you like it spicy .
 Tip: Alternatively you can mix whatever (Indian based) spices you have at home. I love it that way.
Garlic Cloves - 3 (Just crushed with a flat knife after pealing)
Roasted Unsalted Peanuts  (about 10)
   Tip: Using 3 to 4 cashews will make it ever more "Shahi" (rich).
Sour Cream or Whipping Cream or Coconut Milk  - For quantity I will leave at your discretion.
   Tip: I have used 1/2 tblsp Organic Greek Yogurt and 2 full tblsp of 2% milk. 
         Using Whipping cream develops better flavor though
         Not using any cream also gives a gratifying flavor.

1) In a sauce pan add 2 Tblsp oil and keep it on medium heat.
2) Add Onions and saute them until its soft.
3) Add Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala and Salt (according to taste) and saute it
4) Add the tomatoes in and cook until tender (not very mushy).
5) Add the Peanuts and saute for another 2 more min
6) Turn off the heat and let it cool down a bit.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
After preheat your cooking time should be around 40-45 min if you are serving it immediately.

In the meanwhile lets go back to our cauliflower-

1) Grease deep dish baking pan generously
2) Carefully take it out of the water (we won't use all the water, but save some for the Gravy)
3) Place the Cauliflower in a deep baking dish (Flower side up).
4) Placed the crushed Garlic and the Green Chili's at the bottom of the baking tray

In a blender get the Gravy ingredients that is in the saute pan.
Add your Sour Cream or Whipping Cream or Coconut Milk or Organic Greek Yogurt.
Blend it to almost puree consistency.
Add the Cauliflower blanched water according to your need to thin or thick gravy.
Pour some of the blended gravy at the bottom of the baking pan.
Pour some of it on top of the Cauliflower.
Let the extra gravy fall below at the bottom of the pan
Put a cover on the dish let it cook.
Tip: Preferably don't leave the cooked dish in the oven heat (especially if you plan to re-heat it before serving)

Garnish with cilantro and (may be) grated Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) looks inviting.

Tip: Transfer the cooked dish into a large plate with curved edge (ensuring the flower is wholesome). You can see the whole cauliflower this way while serving and make it a center piece at your dinner serving table.

This weekend's cookout also included these items (including my shahi gobi at the top right corner)