sweet lassi

I will not repeat mistake like this never, ever again. It was late spring and the sun was really strong, like at the peak of the summer season. We had to buy sun cream to stop our unprotected skin from burning. Even in these weather circumstances one must eat when hungry, especially when being a random tourist in a big city for only few days. You must agree.  We bumped into some small Thai restaurant and ordered crispy duck in coconut curry and curry rice noodles with vegetables. I do remember vividly, how duck was perfectly crisp from the outside and that pink color in the middle is engraved in my memory for lifetime. As we were constantly drinking water we were not able to drink anything else during the day hours. In the menu it was written lassi, sweet refreshing ultimate mango lassi. I so wanted to order one, as I never had one before. But we had to go, we couldn’t stay much longer, and there was no chance my stomach could accept any more of liquid. I was trying to persuade others to order so I could take a sip, but had no luck. We left with the promise to come back again in the remaining days.

And we never did. There was just not enough time for the 'rerun'.

No regret. No sadness.  I know I’ll be back one day, eventually, and I will order mango lassi, but till that time I will drink homemade strawberry lassi.

Cheers!

strawberry lassi

400-450g fresh strawberries

1.5 cups chilled yogurt

3-4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp rose water

few ice cubes (optional)

Blend the strawberries with sugar and rose water to a smooth puree. Add yogurt and pulse at intervals till you get a smooth lassi.

another pasta dish

Serves 2 as a main                        BAVETTE ALLA CREMA Mushrooms and dill

INGREDIENTS

240g bavette

400g button/chestnut mushrooms (sliced finely)

2 spring garlic

3 spring onions

3 tbsp dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

200ml cream 

handful of fresh dill (roughly chopped)

around 1/3 cup water (where paste has been cooked)

1 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

Put a large pan of water on to boil. When starts boiling season well with salt and cook the pasta (cook the pasta according to packet instructions). In another pan, over a high heat, fry mushrooms in the oil until they brown a little. Reduce the heat and add chopped garlic and onions and fry for minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, add wine and cook for another few minutes. Then add cream and dill and let cook just for about 2-3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. When pasta is cooked, drain the pasta and toss in the pan, add some water where pasta has been cooked. Check once more for seasoning and serve with extra dill on top.

Thank you the Geometry of Pasta for an inspiration

ps: 
instead of bavette you can use tagliatelle or spaghetti and don’t forget to finish the wine..

hint

oven miracle

sky-high shiny delight

egg power in situ

heat makes them pop

eggy bellies

dangerously addictive

sugar crusted

summer thing feeling 

Popovers

1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour

3 eggs

2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 210^o C. Grease a muffin tin/popover tin with oil (I used sunflower oil).

Mix everything by using either blender or food processor until you have a smooth batter (you can whisk everything by hand, whatever makes you happy at that moment). 

Fill each cup about 2/3 of the way full and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.  

Let cool for few minutes and they are ready to be eaten.  

Optional

Combine cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Brush (still warm) popover with melted butter and then add to the cinnamon/sugar plate and roll to coat.

ps: 

They really do pop. Unfortunately there is no photo to confirm this, but after they pop they also tend to go down. Inevitable process in the life of a popover.