Orange Marmalade

I love fruit, and Oranges are one of my favorites. So needless to say, I love Orange season. Up until now, Orange season meant that I bought heaps of Oranges and ate quantities everyday. This year however, is different.

Pinterest opened my eyes to a hoard of recipes and sparked an interest that mere browsing would not have achieved. I created my Food & Favorite Recipes board among many others and started pinning avidly. One pin lead to another board to follow, and soon I had more recipes than time to experiment. 

January 2013 is the month of my experiments with Oranges. I ate many Oranges and soaked the Orange Peel in Vinegar to make Orange Vinegar (that smells delicious and cleans like a charm). Then one day I came across a recipe to make Orange Marmalade. I googled to learn more, and decided to give it a shot. 

I followed that recipe more or less, but it's different from the original recipe in a few aspects. I took the photos with my iPhone, the original recipe has lovely photos. Here's what I did:

I bought 2.5 pounds of Kinnow Oranges and 1 Lemon

I used 2 pounds of Sugar and 1 pound of Demerara Sugar

I added 1/4 teaspoon of salt 

I washed the fruit in salt and water. The placed the fruit in a thick bottomed saucepan and added 1.5 quarts of water. I brought the fruit to a boil on high heat. Then let it simmer after covering it for 1.5 - 2 hours. Then I had to be patient and let it stand overnight. This was the hard part for me.

The next morning, I cut the fruit into quarters.  Then scraped the pulp and fruit into the water. I squished the fruit pulp and the lemon, and brought it to a boil leaving it to bubble for 10 minutes on high heat.

In the meantime I chopped up the peel and set it aside.

After 10 minutes, I strained the liquid into a bowl and squeezed the pulp in the strainer to get all the liquid out. Then I put the liquid back in the saucepan with the chopped peel and brought it to a boil.
 

Once the contents in the saucepan were boiling, I added the sugar and stirred till the sugar was completely dissolved. Then I let it boil for 35 minutes and tested it to see if it was done.

Quoting the original blogger: "put a teaspoonful of hot marmalade on a cold plate and place it in the freezer to chill for a couple of minutes. Take the plate out of the freezer, and push at the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles, it’s done. If it doesn't wrinkle, let the marmalade cook for another 10 minutes and test it again, and repeat the process until it’s done."

After 55 minutes, it was done!!! I stirred in the salt, let it stand for 20 minutes, then transferred the Orange Marmalade in to the jars and sealed them.

Krispy Kreme in Bangalore

Krispy Kreme opened their first outlet in India yesterday, on Church Street in Bangalore. This is great news, because I am a huge fan of Krispy Kreme donuts. I 'liked' their Facebook page days in advance, and watched in mild horror as they used a 'Black Friday' gimmick to draw a crowd to the opening.

The first person to buy a dozen donuts got a year's supply of free donuts, once each week; the second person got a six month supply, the third person got a 3 month supply; the fourth - hundredth persons got a one month supply; and the hundred and first - two hundredth persons got a dozen donuts free.

I stayed away. If not for the crowd that I am sure that gimmick drew, I 'd like to believe that I'd have been at the opening.


Today my brother B, sister-in-law D, and nephew Sidd came over to my home for lunch. Post lunch we sat around chatting and the opening of Krispy Kreme came up. So we decided to head out there and check out the scene.

The Hot Light was lit. It was packed and noisy. The staff looked friendly. I noticed a couple of them posing for pictures with or taking pictures of customers.  People had lined up to buy the donuts. I joined the queue and was a tad disappointed when the fella distributing sample Original Glazed donuts ran out of them just one person before me. It was fun to watch the donuts moving along the conveyor belt.

I reached the counter to select donuts in a few minutes. I decided to buy a dozen Original Glazed and a dozed assorted donuts. The fella that boxed my donuts was friendly and patient. He boxed 3 Original Glazed and 3 assorted donuts each in 4 boxes meant for half a dozen donuts, then informed me that I'd get the Double Dozen (a dozen Original Glazed and a dozen assorted donuts) deal for the lot.

The fella and felle that billed my double dozen however were rude, argumentative, and stupid. First they charge me for 2 dozen assorted donuts. Then, when I pointed out that I was eligible for the Double Dozen deal, they opened each box and counted the number of Original Glazed and assorted donuts. Next they argued that because I'd asked for my donuts to be split into 4 boxes of half a dozen donuts each, and not in  2 boxes of a dozen each I was not eligible for the Double Dozen deal. (Complaining? Definitely.)

So I get charged a 120 bucks more because I chose to have my donuts boxed in 4 smaller boxes rather than 2 larger boxes? Reluctantly they voided that bill and rang up another one, after I threatened never to return there again. (Luckily they didn't know me, else they would have known what a fib that was.) After a minor mishap involving the rude felle who input wrong information into the card machine and said that my debit card had been declined; and the transaction going through the second time after I pointed out to her what options to choose; I was in possession of 2 dozens of Krispy Kreme donuts. (Yay!!!)

We opened 2 of the boxes and wolfed down an Original Glazed donut each. The Original Glazed donuts were authentic. B and D liked them too. The assorted donuts I'd picked up were: Glazed Chocolate Cake, Glazed Vanilla Cake, Cinnamon Apple filled, Chocolate Iced Custard filled, Powdered Blueberry filled, and Powdered Strawberry filled. We started nibbling on the assorted donuts, and I have no complaints about the Shells. But the Cakes were different, moister and softer than the ones that I've eaten in California.(Still not complaining about the donuts.)

Sidd, the new Krispy Kreme fan in the Family. 

I was happy and high on sugar. I took some pictures and decided to upload them on Facebook. So I asked a passing staff fella for the WiFi password. He comes back and refuses to share the password with me because the WiFi is not for the use of a mere mobile phone. My iPhone was suitable offended. Apple are you hearing this? (More complaining.) I love Krispy Kreme donuts, but crowded or not, the behavior of some of the staff was very off-putting. Krispy Kreme are you hearing this?

And while I'm on the topic, where are the Maple Glazed donuts? Where I say? Where? Some of my favorites from the ones I've eaten in California are not available here. (Not quite complaining. Merely pointing out so that Krispy Kreme can fix this situation.) I also saw a Mango & Kreme Krunch. Total cliche, but will reserve my opinion till I try it.

Chicken Sausage Sandwich

This takes about 5 minutes to make, and I love it for a midnight snack. Comfort food!!!

Ingredients (per sandwich)

2 slices of bread (I usually use whole-wheat or multi-grain)
2 sausages
a teaspoon of mustard
a slice of cheese

Instructions

Slice sausages in half horizontally. Toast sausage and bread on both sides. Spread the mustard on a slice of toasted bread, arrange the sausage on the slice. place the cheese slice on top of the sausage, then the second slice of toasted bread. Microwave on high for 30 seconds for the cheese to melt.

Orange Vinegar

I love oranges and don't need an excuse to eat them. I came across this Recipe on Pinterest and it requires exactly 2 Ingredients. Orange Peel and White Vinegar, and a Glass Jar. I used an old Honey Jar.

I packed the Orange Peel into the Jar and covered it in the Vinegar. Then waited for about 3 weeks. I sneaked a whiff each time I saw the Jar in my kitchen; and the Jar looked so cheerful and pretty sitting there.

I did some Google-ing and discovered that this cleaner may be diluted in the proportions 1:1 - 1:4 or not at all; and one may add salt to it too.

I've used it in my kitchen, and it worked.

Research also indicates that it works on mold and the Orange Essential Oil in it gives wood a lovely glow.

Peanut Pachadi

Ingredients 

1 teaspoon of cooking oil
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 dried red chilies
1 green chili
1 cup of peanuts
1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
salt to taste
water to grind

Instructions

heat the oil in a kadai on high heat. add the cumin and let it sputter, then add the chilis and saute for 15 seconds. add the peanuts and stir to coat evenly with the oil. reduce heat to medium and roast for 3 minutes.

let it cool, then grind with tamarind and salt, adding water as needed to achieve the desired consistency,

Seasoning (Optional)

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of urd dal
1 dried chili, broken
curry leaves
a pinch of asafoetida

Instructions 

heat the oil in a kadai on high heat. add the mustard and urd dal, once it starts sputtering,  add the chili and curry leaves. saute for 15 seconds. turn off the heat and add the asafoetida. pour this over the chutney and mix.