Welcome me back.....after a little dip!!


After a year and two months of oblivion, it is a little unnerving to start writing again. The past year of no blogging has been full of other activities, some involving food and most involving people. They have ranged from weddings, starting a new occupation, moving home, and much more.

My kitchen is as busy as it always has been when I’m around, though with my new occupation the time I manage to keep it busy is a little limited. Now I get a day in the week to explore, create and recreate ideas and translate them into interesting food. Nevertheless the effort and the exercise is still full on.

Last week I was visiting a good friend for dinner and she casually mentioned to her other guests that I am good at churning out variety of dips and chutneys. I was beaming inside but of course in all humility had to brush it aside as “it is really nothing”. The truth is, that in a number of instances these dips are creations that evolve out of necessity of putting something together to save my entertaining skills.

Very often my husband comes along with guests for a drink (mind you! with no notice at all) and all I have at home would be a packet of crisps or some vegetables that may be cut to chew on. It is in these instances that I have put together what is available to make dips that would give these normally boring foods an elevated status and save me from embarrassment of serving them.

It was in such a similar situation I discovered sundried tomatoes in my refrigerator and they emerged into a really classy creation which today is one of my staples.

1.   Soak 5 -6 sundried tomatoes in warm water (just enough to let them be wet for a while…..if using the bottled in oil variety please let them be)
2.   Grind coarsely the softened tomatoes along 4 cloves of garlic along with 1 teaspoon of chilly flakes (you are welcome to add more if spice is your way of life)….use the soaking liquid to aid in grinding
3.   Add 1 table spoon of crumbled feta or cottage cheese (whatever is available and suits your pocket)
4.   Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well.

Serve this with any chip of your choice and it’s a sure hit. If allowed to be a little more runny (add a bit more of the olive oil) in consistency it would also go very well with any pasta salad as a dressing.

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