PRODUCT REVIEW: WINGREENS DIPS

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

- Oscar Wilde

 

 

Chips and dip are the easiest snack in the world but sometimes there isn't even enough time to mix hung curd and condiments. My quest for readymade dips led me to Wingreens which seemed readily available in grocery stores. On doing some reading I discovered that Wingreens is run by the Women's Initiative Network which works to empower women through training and sustainable employment in the agricultural sector. WIN also works on the conservation of water resources and on improving soil quality by helping farmers with drip irrigation, composting, water harvesting which also helps increase agricultural productivity.

Their products include fresh produce, potted herb plants (like fresh oregano, thyme, mint etc) and freshly dried herbs and spices. My favorites though are their dips. The Tomato Salsa, Rosemary Hummus and Garlic Dip are flavorful and punchy. The Basil Pesto, Dill Tzatziki I found oily and a little bland. Check out their website for more details (http://www.wingreens.in/).

SUPER HEALTHY CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS

He is no lawyer who cannot take two sides. - Charles Lamb

 

Ten Thoughts Corporate Lawyers Regularly Have

1. You did not just send me the mark up at 9:00 pm on a Friday night! &*F%^@!

2. Done with the email at 7:00 pm. I think I'll go home and send it out by 10:00 pm.

3. Maybe if I don't mark my partner on my cover up email s/he won't realize I've dropped the ball.

4. To start the email with "dear" or not? "Regards," "kind regards" or "warm regards"?

5. I wonder how may billable hours s/he racked up on that deal.

6. I took a day off last month. I wonder when is the soonest I can ask for the next day off?

7. Of course, the printer will jam when I'm trying to print on stamp paper.

8. Shit, how many days do I have left to file the Form FC-TRS/GPR.

9. When are the partners going to go home/ go on holiday/ go out for lunch?

10. One more hour till I can leave. Facebook/ instagram/ twitter/ pinterest time!

Unlike the sharp and useless thoughts of most corporate lawyers, this cauliflower hummus is crazy wholesome. Did you know cauliflowers are packed with an insane quantity of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese? The vegetable also has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and some studies link its consumption to cancer prevention. Unfortunately it's a particularly boring vegetable and hard to make appetizing - its bland, mushy texture plays well in this hummus recipe though. This is much easier to get together than traditional chickpea hummus and tastes (okay, fine I'll be honest, almost) as good.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Our Fifth House

What you’ll need:

1 head of cauliflower (steamed)

1 lemon (juiced)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic paste
Red chilli powder
Salt

How to:

Throw everything into a grinder and puree. Check for seasoning and adjust as per taste.

PEANUT CHUTNEY AND THE DILEMMAS OF ONLINE SHOPPING

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
― Napoleon Bonaparte

 

Since I'm in office pretty much the entire day on weekdays and hate shopping malls, the advent of online shopping has saved me from the shame of having to dress in tunics made of A4 sheets. The big problems with online shopping are of course that (a) you haven't really seen what you're buying, and (b) you may not want to share your debit/credit card details with every random website out there. Since I've already burnt my fingers on a lot of e-stores I thought I'd share the fruits of my (expensively procured) wisdom.

 

The Good

 

Bhane: Gorgeous, simple, largely pure cotton and entirely made in India, Bhane has rightfully been called India's answer to Gap. I'm in love with the superior quality, the functionality of design, friendly customer care and adorable packaging. I mean these guys actually use normal people for models! How can you not love them? Cash on delivery available.

 

Limeroad: A wide range of clothes, jewelry and home decor items at reasonable prices. The photos are accurate and the delivery quick. Cash on delivery available.

 

Gilt: This site has great deals on super luxurious brands like Valentino, Chanel and Hermes along with those a rung or two lower like Kate Spade, Trina Turk etc. They host flash sales with a limited number of items, the site is easy to use and the product photos/descriptions accurate. Credit Card payment only.

 

Foodesto: A good resource for most basic kitchen needs, this site has a good range of food, serving dishes and baking paraphernalia. I got my measuring spoons and cups from here and though its a little pricey they are great quality. Cash on delivery available.

 

Craftgully: A great resource for crafting materials including scrapbooking paper, beads, paints, washi tape and a whole lot more. Very useful if you have a DIY project on your to do list but don't have the time to hunt down crochet tape in the right shade of lilac. Craft gully probably has it in lilac, pale blue, pastel green and black. Cash on delivery available.

 

The Bad

 

Rooja: A strange smorgasbord of clothes and accessories, what you see here is probably not what you'll get. The photos are plenty misleading, you can expect a call a few weeks after your order informing you that your stuff is out of stock and even if you manage to get your things, the quality is nothing to throw a party about.

 

Done by None: Most of the products look tacky. I managed to find something I liked, placed my order and got a call 2 weeks later telling me half my order was out of stock. I also learned (the hard way) that their shoe sizes aren't standard and their interpretation of size 39 is atleast 1 size smaller than what my foot is used to. Anyone wear size 7 shoes? I have a pair of brand new baby blue ballet shoes for you.

 

Shop In On It: The usual bright baubles, moustache earrings, cluster necklaces and plastic bits and bobs. Nothing new or particularly exciting.

 

Looking Forward to

 

Catbird NYC: I'm in love with these delicate designs.

 

Zansaar: Hosts a really wide range of imported kitchenware with almost everything an amateur cook or baker could need. I've just placed an order for a candy thermometer and am waiting to see how this turns out.

 

Page 99: Every avid reader knows that books can be incredibly, physically beautiful. This site reminds me of walking into a dusty old bookstore filled with written treasures. An absolutely jaw dropping collection.

 
This post has been far longer and more complicated than what I usually come up with so I'll offset it with a really simple peanut chutney recipe. You probably already have all ingredients in your kitchen already and I'll eat my laptop if it takes you more than 10 minutes to make. A nicely lively chutney that you can use as a dip, sandwich spread, spread for rolls or even a thick salad dressing.

 

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Good Food magazine

 What you’ll need:

1 cup peanuts (without that annoying skin they tend to have)
3 -4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon

How to:

Throw everything into mixer and pulse till you have a chutney. If you need to, add a little more olive oil to make a smooth paste. Check the taste and see if you want to add anything more. 

RED PEPPER AND POMEGRANATE MOLASSES DIP

"Am I tough? Am I strong? Am I hard-core? Absolutely.
Did I whimper with pathetic delight when I sank my teeth into my hot fried-chicken sandwich? You betcha.”
― James Patterson

 

 

When I'm trawling the net for recipes to try out I look for any of the following:

 

(a) the recipe is remarkably simple,

(b) the dish is a classic I want to learn to make, or

(c) it involves unusual combinations of ingredients.

 

 Just to clarify the ingredients themselves should not be unusual - I hate nothing more than having to forage through grocery stores for a bottle of something or the other which will gather dust and fungusify on my kitchen shelf after I've used 1 1/2 tsp for one goddamn recipe. I mean that the mix of ingredients should be unexpected.

 

Like for this exciting, punchy red pepper dip - it has old bread, it has pomegranate juice and peppers. Whaat?! What will this even taste like?! I get all excited and mad scientist-y about stuff like this. But to get back to the question of what it tastes like, this is a light dip with gentle, sweet tones and an incredible soft heat that follows - very truly an unexpected bouquet of flowers. A must try.

 

 Serves 8

Adapted from Martha Stewart

 

What you’ll need:

2 red peppers

1 cup pomegranate juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 pita (torn into chunks)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

¾ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

 How to:

1. Simmer the pomegranate juice in a pan for about 10 – 15 mins till it’s reduced and much thicker.

 

2. Throw in all the ingredients (including cooked pomegranate juice) and blend till you have a smooth paste.

LUXE SALMON DIP

"I get way too much happiness from good food" - Elizabeth Olsen

 

 

At dinner one day a friend was talking about job choices, to which another friend responded, that though the opportunity sounded comfortable it would never make him great. The comment really resonated with me, how many us even aspire to greatness anymore?

 

We're all worried about salaries and commute timings and don't get me wrong, I have nothing against more money or less traffic, but how often do we think about what we need to do to thrive? Not just vaguely hope we'll do well and go back to watching TV shows but really constructively think about how our lives could be better. I realize I barely think about the future - specially not in a concrete, structured way. Days and weeks go by, crossing off silly errands and dealing with inconsequential issues, till I turn around and realize I have spent huge chunks of time on things I don't even remember.

 

I'm in fact so bad at this that it's taken me 27 years to realize time is passing me by. In keeping with my reignited desire to get my life back together I've decided to face my fear of working with seafood. The result is this creamy, delicate, ultra luxe salmon dip. Get on, make some dip, get your life together.

 

 

Serves 6

Adapted from Martha Stewart

 

What you’ll need:

 

1 can tinned salmon

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp cream cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkling of capers

 

How to:

 

Throw all the ingredients together (except the capers) and blend till you have a paste. Sprinkle capers on top. Chill and serve.

 

Note: Don’t bother using fancy salmon for this, the tinned kind is perfectly okay. Keep your salmon fillets etc for baking whole.

 

DIP DE DOODLE DIP

“I believe when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade...and try to find someone whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.”
― Ron White

 

Tis' the season for Taash parties and parties mean finger food and dip - here are 5 of the Reluctant Chef's (easiest) and yummiest dip recipes!

 

1. Super Healthy Hung Curd and Creamilicious Tuna 

 

 

2. Golden Glowing Honey Mustard

 

 

3. Ultimate Lemon and Garlic Hummus

 

 

4. Virtuous Cilantro Pesto

 

 

5. Super Smooth Cauliflower

 

CREAMY TUNA DIP

“It’s absolutely unfair for women to say that guys only want one thing: sex. We also want food.”  
Jarod Kintz, $3.33
 

The Tuna Dip is the creamy one to the right.

 

This is a pretty great dip (with or without a movie going on). One of the easiest to put together and seafood lovers everywhere will lap it up. This is my personal favourite for (non) vegging out with. Use light mayonnaise and eat with carrots/cucumbers/ salad leaves if you're worried about calories.

Serves 4

Adapted from the ideas of fellow house party lovers

 

What you'll need:
 

1 small can of tuna (approximately 150 gms)

½ cup mayonnaise
3 -4 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

How to:

1. Shred the tuna and mix in with all the other ingredients. Add more mayonnaise if you want it creamier.

2. Chill and serve with crackers/cucumber/ carrots.

RUCH'S RICH HUNG CURD DIP

If we’re not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn’t settle for junk food. - Sally Edwards

We've made this dip for a bunch of parties this summer and it never lasts very long. It's made of very conveniently found ingredients, is vegetarian and delicious. If you don't have capsicum on hand use something else that's green or crunchy. As you can see from the picture - I used coriander and pomegranate.

Don't knock it till you try it.

The one to the left.

Serves 4

Recipe from Ruchira Goel

What you'll need

1 ½ cups hung curd

 

Note: The easiest way to make hung curd is to wash one of those felt type grocery bags we get these days (since the plastic ones got banned) and throw the curd in there. Loop the handles of the bag over something that sticks out and let the curd drain. Also, store bought curd is much denser than home made curd so if you know you're going to be throwing a party then pick up a couple of packs of curd when you're doing your party shopping. This will give you a richer texture and not waste as much whey.

 

1 red/ yellow/ green capsicum (chopped into little pieces)
Dash of tobasco
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
Salt and pepper

How to:

Throw everything together, stir well, chill and serve.

CREAMY, SMOOTH, LEMON AND GARLIC HUMMUS

You don't need a silver fork to eat good food - Paul Prudhomme

 

 

I was chatting with Navy recently who mentioned the blog was looking a lot cleaner and tighter. Ordinarily I'd brush the compliment aside but I know Navy isn't one for insincere flattery. I'd spent hours the week before working my way through each post (there are more than 150!) trying to get through as many glitches as I could.

 

Once I was done I wondered why I hadn't done it before. I was just about to start beating myself up but it's always been important to me to have a visually appealing website. I've been specially conscious of this since I don't have the technological skill to come up with the swirling, swishing imagery I'd like. I guess I just need to accept that this blog has always been the best it could at that stage.

 

Some things just take time.

 

If you're currently feeling you should have been further ahead by now, that you should have accomplished more or gotten more things done, I'd like to share the example of my super, creamy hummus.

 

When I started cooking I thought I'd take a stab at making hummus since I like it so very much. The first time I tried I didn't soak the chickpeas overnight and though I boiled them for what felt like hours they were too hard to be made into a paste. The second time I decided to skip the tahini, thinking it was just a couple of tablespoons, how much of a difference could it make? It tasted like feet. The third time I almost got everything right but no matter how much I blended there was a graininess that just wouldn't go. So much for the third time being the charm.

 

This time I saw soaked chickpeas lying on the kitchen counter and without any hope or expectation I decided to pop it into a pressure cooker for about 10 - 15 minutes.  I peeled the skins off while starting to watch Season 2 of Hart of Dixie because I'd read on the Smitten Kitchen that this would help get it really smooth when I started to pulp it. What was there to lose? 

 

This is the creamiest, closest to perfect hummus I've ever made. I spent a whole weekend scooping spoonfuls into my mouth straight out of the fridge. The slight tang of lemon and the kick of garlic keep it from being dreary chickpea mush.

 

Moral of the story - it took me about 2 kgs of chickpeas, half a bottle of tahini, 6 - 7 lemons, 4 cups of olive oil and 9 months to figure out something I'd allotted myself 45 minutes for.

 

Some things just take time.  

 

 

 Serves 4

Adapted from Sweet Paul

 

What you’ll need:

 

2 cups of chickpeas (soaked overnight)

3 – 5 garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

 

How to:

 

1. Boil the chickpeas (I think the easiest thing is to stick them in the pressure cooker for about 20 minutes).

 

2. Once you’ve taken the boiled chickpeas out let them cool and then carefully pinch each pea till the skin slides off.

 

Note: This may seem odd and I know most recipes don’t need you to waste your time doing all this but the first time I read about this was at Smitten Kitchen’s blog and it is THE secret to super smooth and creamy hummus. And it’s totally mindless so you can catch up on a TV show or catch up with family while you peel your pile of peas.

 

3. Puree all ingredients together till you have a smooth paste. If you end up with a too solid mess then just add a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt to water it down.  

4. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

 

 

FRUIT MUSTARD DIP

Guest Post by Vrinda Singh Oberoi!

 

I know Dip Week is over but this is such an interesting sounding dip we had to put it up! It's fat free, flavourful and like all my favourite recipes more of a concept than a fixed, structured recipe. There aren't any specific quantities to the ingredients. Just bung them all in and then adjust depending on how sweet or mustard-y you like it.

What you’ll need:

Any fresh seasonal fruit with pulp – my favorites are watermelons, kiwis or oranges  (if you don’t want the trouble of pulping out the fresh fruits then any flavored jam or marmalade will do)

Kasundi Mustard

Salt to taste

Black Pepper to taste

How to:

1. If you’re using fresh fruits and not cheating by using jam then using a pestle beat the fruit into a pulp.

Note: If there’s too much juice just cook the fruit for a little while till the water evaporates and the pulp is reduced.

2. Check for sugar. If you feel it’s not sweet enough add some brown sugar.

3. Add a generous quantity of Kasundi Mustard and stir well.

 

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with chips or mutton kebabs or freshly cut cucumber, carrots and tomatoes.

 

CILANTRO PESTO

"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives." — Oscar Wilde

I wasn't really big on the idea of dips and pestos. They seemed like frippery but I've really started to come around as evidenced by this Dip Week. Make a pile of the stuff and put it aside - use it as a sandwich spread, salad dressing, mix with a pile of pasta, as a way of getting green things into your system or to dip carrot and cucumber sticks while you're still hopeful of fitting into that blouse you got made three years ago. Most of these dips last quite a while and over time you'll find your own cheater uses for them.

What you’ll need:

2 cups fresh chopped cilantro (packed – really squish that cilantro in there)

1/3 cup cashews (or almonds/ pistachio/ walnut)
1 tsp garlic paste
½ cup grated cheese
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

How to:

1. Pound together all the ingredients and put into a mixer/ food processor.

2. Run the mixer/ food processor and using the small hole on the top of the lid slowly pour in the olive oil.

Note: This bit is tricky and since it involves more hand eye coordination and spatial reasoning than I can manage I stuck a funnel in the space and used that to pour in the olive oil.

3. Serve.

 

EASY PEESY HUNG CURD DIP

Guest Post by Vrinda Singh Oberoi!

Dip Week - Part Deux.

For your entertainment the Urban Dictionary definition of Deux (this has nothing to do with food) :

"A superfacial, unnecessary, or overly bad sequel to a classic film. Usually the second film in the series though not always. Adding the phrase to a movies title is similar to adding the "electric boogaloo." Derived from the intentionally superfacial sequel, "Hot Shots! Part Deux." Examples include: "The Exorcist II," "Caddyshack 2," "Batman and Robin," "The Godfather Part III," etc. Person 1: "Hey man, did you see "Step Up 2 The Streets?" last night?" Person 2: "What? You mean "Step Up, Part Deux?""   How I love Urban Dictionary.   Now back to food - this is a yummy, healthy and nearly fat free dip that will balance out your guilt for porking out on another pack of chips.   You’ll need: 4-5 Cloves of Garlic - Grated Finely 1 kg Curd – Hung in a muslin cloth for 2-3 Hours so all the water is drained Handful Coriander Leaves – Finely Chopped 2-3 Green Chillies – Finely Chopped Salt – To taste Black Pepper – To taste How to: 1. Once the curd has drained almost all the water and is a paste stir the curd vigorously. 2. Add garlic, green chillies and coriander leaves and keep folding the curd to make the curd dip light and fluffy. 3. Add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Serve cold with chips or freshly cut cucumber carrots and radish.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER DIP

"A cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education" - Mark Twain

It's dip week at the Reluctant Chef! As you line up your winter parties, we're going to help you out with a week's worth of simple, (relatively) healthy dip recipes and make your life a little easier!

What you’ll need:

1 head of cauliflower

2 tbsp garlic

3 tbsp butter

½ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

How to:

1. Chop up the cauliflower into florets. Dunk in a pan of water and cook till tender to a fork. Drain.

2. In another pan, heat 3 tbsp butter. Add garlic and stir till it browns a little. Add the cauliflower and stir till the cauliflower colours up nicely.

3. Puree the cooked cauliflower in a mixer with the seasoning. Adjust seasoning. Serve.

Note: Add some milk into the mixer if you want the paste thinner.

HUMMUS

“Annabeth:My fatal flaw. That's what the Sirens showed me. My fatal flaw is hubris.

Percy: the brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches?

Annabeth:No, Seaweed Brain. That's HUMMUS. hubris is worse.

Percy: what could be worse than hummus?

 

― Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters

The quote above might be funny but I must say I disagree completely. Hummus is wonderful. It is particularly wonderful for me now that after 4 unsuccessful attempts I've finally gotten it right.

 

What you’ll need:

1 cup chick peas (soaked in water overnight)

 

Note: This makes a lot of hummus. In my house people keep popping spoonfuls in their mouth but if you're not expecting that kind of consumption halve the portions here.

 

½ cup yoghurt

3 tbsp garlic

Note: You can start with less and add more later if this seems much to you. I’m a big garlic fan so I suspect I'm putting in more than most people.

2 -3 tbsp Tahini

Note: I can’t be bothered to roast sesame seeds and then pound them. I recommend you buy the paste off the shelf and make your life easier.

3 – 5 tbsp olive oil

3 –5 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chilli powder

Salt to taste

How to:

1. Pop soaked chickpeas into a saucepan with a tablespoon of salt. Drain and save some of the cooking  liquid of the chickpeas. Let the chickpeas cool a little.

2. In a mixer pour in all ingredients and some of the chickpeas cooking liquid. Blend till grainy. This may take some effort so keep tasting and adding more liquid to get it into a nice, grainy paste.

3. Taste – you may need to add more salt/ lemon juice/ garlic/ yoghurt as per your taste. Add ingredient of choice and blend some more.

4. Serve with carrots and cucumbers or warm pita bread.