Blueberry Muffins

AP Flour - 2 1/2 cups, plus 1 tbsp. for dusting the Blueberries

Baking powder - 1 tbs.

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Butter -1 stick, melted

Sugar - 1 cup

Egg - 2

Sour Cream - 1 1/2 cup

Milk - 2 tbsp.

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Lemon zest - 1 tsp

Blueberries - 1 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower middle. Using a standard 12-well Muffin pan, place a Muffin liner in each well, or if you don't have Muffin liners, grease the inside of the Muffin pan wells with vegetable Oil or Butter.

Place the Blueberries in a bowl. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of AP Flour over them and gently toss to coat. The flour will help keep the Blueberries from sinking in the muffin as it cooks.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients— AP Flour, Baking soda, Baking powder, and Salt.

In a large mixing bowl, place the Sour cream, Sugar, Eggs, Milk, melted Butter, Lemon zest, and Vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture a third at a time and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix!

Gently fold the Blueberries into the mixture.

Distribute the batter equally among the cups.

Place the Muffins in the oven and bake at 400°F until the Muffins are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Let the Muffins cool in the Muffin pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the pan.

Let cool another 10 minutes before eating.

Tomato Bath

2 cups tomatoes – roughly chopped or 4 medium-sized tomatoes or 300 grams

5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves – roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 inch ginger – roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped ginger

2 to 3 green chilies – roughly chopped or 2.5 to 3 teaspoons chopped green chilies

½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ½ teaspoon cumin powder

3 cloves

1 inch cinnamon

¼ cup fresh coconut or desiccated coconut

For soaking rice

1 cup rice

water as required – for soaking rice

Other ingredients for tomato bath

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium sized tej patta or 2 small tej patta (indian bay leaf)

1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced or ½ cup sliced onion

1 small to medium capsicum, sliced – optional

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder

salt add as required

¼ teaspoon sugar

½ cup water or add as required

2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnishing

fresh coconut for garnishing – optional

Rinse rice very well in water a couple of times. Then soak rice in enough water for 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes drain all the water and keep the rice aside. You can use sona masuri rice, basmati rice or any short grained or medium-grained variety of rice.

Making masala paste for tomato bath

Rinse and roughly chop the tomatoes and add them in a grinder jar or blender. You will need 2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes.

Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon.

Next add grated coconut or desiccated coconut.

Without adding any water grind everything to a fine smooth paste. The juices from the tomato will help in grinding the paste. So no need to add water while grinding or blending.

Now measure the tomato coconut masala paste in a measuring cup. Depending on the water content in the tomatoes, the quantity may vary. 

You need to use the proportion of 1:2 for white rice and the masala paste+water respectively. If using 1 cup of white rice, you will actually need 2 cups of the masala paste. 

I got 1.5 cups of tomato coconut masala paste – so added ½ cup water later in the pan.

– for 1.5 cups of tomato paste, add 0.5 cups water.

– for 1.25 cups, add 0.75 cups water.

– for 1 cup of tomato paste, add 1 cup water.

Making tomato bath

In a heavy thick bottomed pan or pot heat ghee or oil.

Keep the heat to a low and add tej patta and cumin seeds. Stir well. Let the cumin seeds crackle.

Then add onion and stirring often sauté the onions till they become golden

Sauté onions on a medium-low to medium flame. If using capsicum, then you can add after the onions have become golden and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Then add the soaked rice. Sprinkle turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix everything.

Now add the measured tomato coconut masala paste. Stir and gently mix everything.

Add water as required and depending on the quantity of masala paste. I added ½ cup water first and later added ½ cup water more as I was using hand pounded sona masuri rice which takes more water to cook.

Season with salt as per taste. Also add sugar.

Mix well. Check the taste of the broth and it should be slightly salty.

Cooking tomato bath

Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low heat.

Simmer tomato bath till the rice grains are cooked and fluffy. Do check at intervals and if the rice starts sticking to the pan or water dries up or rice mixture looks dry or rice grains are undercooked, then you can add some more hot water.

Once the rice grains are completely cooked and all the water is absorbed, then switch off the heat. Fluff the tomato bath with a fork.

Serve tomato bath as is or with any sides like raita, pickle or salad of your choice. While serving garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and some grated coconut (optional)

Baked Feta Pasta

2 pints cherry tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds)

2 medium shallots, roughly chopped (1/2cup)

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (8-ounce) block Greek feta cheese in brine, drained

1 (1-pound) package uncooked short pasta (such as Fusillotti)

5 tablespoons harissa sauce (such as Mina)

Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together tomatoes, shallots, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and 4 tablespoons oil in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Place feta in center of baking dish, and drizzle feta with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until tomatoes are blistered and sauce is bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid; drain pasta, and set aside.

Remove baking dish from oven. Mash and stir feta with tomatoes and their juices, creating a sauce. Stir in pasta and harissa until well combined. Add reserved cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with basil and additional black pepper. Serve immediately.