Vangyache kaap/Eggplant Crips..

Eggplant crispies or Vangyache kaap is a comfort food for ppl like me...My mom was typical Mumbai working woman and had very little time to cook a full course meal evryday. yet she cooked fresh food twice every day.. She did not have the comfort of driving her own car to work.. she travelled by the trains and used all modes of public transport but never ever complainedd of the stress and fatigue, just remembering her in those days brings me.. She rolled out hot phulkas for us each night even at 9 pm...boy do I admire her for that..
In days of not so favourite vegetable on dinner table and grumpy faces and whining kids, she made these kaap... They along with varan(dal) and bhat(rice) are a feast on its own...Simple yet tasty...they give you the joy of eating junk hiding in good old veggie....Eggplant is very friendly as it adopts the taste of what you give it to...U take Japanese Eggplants which are slim and long...cut them into discs and coat with salt,sugar, red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder and keep aside....Heat oil in a fry pan...on a dish take some rice flour and rava(Sooji) mixture.. mix the eggplant crisps with all the coatings .. it will give out water and get wet....then coat the crisps with the flour and sooji mix and shallow fry it.. enjoy it hot on a rainy/snowy day....

Love Ash.

Home Made Whole Wheat Bread

I have been following Rhonda Of Down to Earth blog.. She is an amazing person, although I don't know her, I got attracted to her Simple life and easy living.. in her blog she describes her life working on the farm, doing voluntary work and house work with equal passion...I cannot do as much as hers, but to get started with Simple living, I did try baking a bread at home...I have never ever baked  a bread at home.. so the idea did not go well with my hubby, who thought if you can get a loaf in the supermarketet, whats the point in putting in so much efforts...But ever sincee I read her Bread rec, I had to had try it. and believe it or not the whole exercise took me less than 10 mins hard work....I do not have bread maker at home so I use Gods Little helpers....My Hands to knead the dough...Folowed her rec to the "T" and Bingo.. I got it.. My family just hogged on the bread and Warm bread out of the oven with dollop's of Butter.. I was in heaven!!!!!!!!!!!

The Rec is at;

http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/02/baking-bread.html

Only changes I did were, I did not have Gluten so skipped that and also did not have Milk Powder so skipped that too....Basically I used only three Things, 2.5 cups Whole wheat Flour, 0.5 cup All purpose flour and 2Tbspn Yeast activated in warm water with sugar and salt...

So do give it a try.. I used Cumin seeds on the top of the loaf just to try it.. next time will use oats or sesame seeds depending on how I shape the bread....So long till I bake again!!!!!

Love Ash.