Tortilla Soup with Black Beans - Martha Stewart

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans - Martha Stewart

Monday, October 31, 2011

from Martha Stewart

A good-quality pantry staple, make this meal healthy, delicious, and affordable.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, corn, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve soup with lime wedges and, if desired, more chips.

Spiced Preserved Lemons Recipe

Spiced Preserved Lemons Recipe

Monday, October 24, 2011

Preserved lemons add tang and saltiness to many Mediterranean dishes. Try them in our Preserved Lemon and Bitters Vinaigrette, Vegetable Tagine, or Moroccan Charmoula Dressing.

What to buy: Look for lemons that don’t have any wax on the outside—organic lemons tend to be unwaxed. If you can only find conventional lemons, wash them briefly under very hot water to remove any wax.

Special equipment: You will need a resealable quart jar, a band, and a new lid for storing the lemons. A wide-mouth canning jar works best.

Game plan: You’ll need to begin this recipe the night before, by soaking the lemons.

INGREDIENTS
10 medium lemons (preferably organic, without a wax coating)
3/4 cup kosher salt
3 bay leaves
2 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole coriander

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak the lemons in cold water overnight, weighing them down with a plate or plastic bag filled with water. Drain and dry the lemons with a towel.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat (the pot needs to be deep enough so the water covers the 1-quart jar). Place the clean, wide-mouth quart jar, band, and lid in the water and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off, leaving the jar in the water until ready to use. Remove the band and lid and dry with a clean towel; set aside.
3. Working over a medium bowl, take 7 of the lemons and make 4 equally spaced lengthwise slits in each, starting about 1/2 inch below the stem and ending about 1/2 inch above the base. Cut through the skin, stopping at the center of the lemon. Squeeze each lemon gently from top to bottom so the slits pop open, then sprinkle the interior with 1 heaping tablespoon of the salt, making sure the salt gets into the center. Let any excess salt or lemon juice fall into the bowl.
4. Remove the jar from the pot and shake out any excess water; set aside. Add the remaining salt and the spices to the bowl and stir to combine. Drop some of the salt-spice mixture into the jar and add the lemons one at a time, compacting each with a wooden spoon until it releases its juice and is packed very tightly. Alternate layers of the salt-spice mixture and lemons, adding all of the mixture and stopping when you reach the shoulder of the jar. If the lemons are not completely covered with their own juices, squeeze the juice from the 3 remaining lemons and pour it into the jar. Seal the jar and place it in a warm, bright spot.
5. Once a day for the first week, shake the jar and carefully open it over the sink to let out any excess gas. After the first week, the fermentation will slow and you’ll only need to shake and “burp” the jar once every 7 days. After about a month, the liquid will clear and the lemons will be ready to use. They will keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Vegetable Tagine Recipe

Vegetable Tagine Recipe

Though the word tagine refers to the cone-shaped cooking vessel that the dish is traditionally made in, it has also come to refer to Moroccan-style stew preparations. This version contains an assortment of vegetables, including cauliflower and chickpeas, making for a flavorful, filling vegetarian dish.

What to buy: For a slacker solution, you can substitute high-quality canned chickpeas for the cooked chickpeas.

Preserved lemons are a popular ingredient in Moroccan cooking. They’re preserved in a salt-and-lemon-juice mixture and sold in jars. Look for them in gourmet grocery stores or online at igourmet.com, or alternatively you can make your own.

INGREDIENTS
For the tagine:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled, medium dice
1 cup canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
Pinch saffron threads
1 medium head cauliflower, large dice
1 1/4 cup green olives, such as picholine, pitted and halved
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 preserved lemon, seeds removed, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried currants
To serve:
3 cups dry couscous
3 cups water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup whole almonds, toasted
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup plain Greek-style or whole-milk yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS

For the tagine:

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cinnamon stick, and toast until aromatic, about 1 minute; add ginger and garlic, and cook until just softened, about 1 minute more.
2. Add carrots, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice, vegetable broth, and saffron and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, covered, until vegetables are almost completely cooked but still raw in the center, about 7 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower, olives, chickpeas, preserved lemon, and currants and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just tender, about 10 minutes more. Taste tagine and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To serve:

Place couscous in a large bowl or baking dish. Bring water to a boil. Once water boils, pour over couscous, and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir briefly to combine.
Serve tagine over couscous, topped with almonds and scallions. Pass yogurt on the side.

Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Aaloo Paratha (Potato Stuffed Paratha)
Aloo Paratha
Mamta Gupta

These parathas are the most popular of all stuffed parathas in India. You can get them at almost all north Indian restaurants, including roadside restaurants called ‘Dhabas’, freshly made and crisp. The parathas are made by stuffing the spiced mashed potatoes between two layers of chapatties. They are mostly eaten for breakfast, crispy and hot, straight off the griddle. Other vegetables or dals can also be used as a stuffing. They are best served with a few pickles, yoghurt or a glass of ice cold Lassi 1/Lassi 2/Lassi 3. Makes 10-12.

Ingredients

• For stuffing/filling
• 250 gm. potatoes
• 1 tbs. cooking oil
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped or grated*
• 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped*
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, very finely grated*
• A bunch of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. chilli powder (to taste)
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp. amchoor or dry mango powder (don't worry if you can't find it)
• 1 tsp. salt
• *These ingredients can be chopped together in a food processor, instead of chopping individually by hand.
• For dough
• 400-500 gm. chapatti flour
• 2 tbs. ghee or butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ajwain or carom seeds
• Enough water to make dough
• Oil for pan frying
Instructions

1. Making the filling
2. Boil potatoes in their skin until tender. You can use microwave or pressure cooker, if you prefer. Cool, peel and mash.
3. Add onion, ginger and green chilli mix, all the spices, chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix well. The mix should be dry, free of water. Otherwise, it will be difficult to roll out parathas. Keep aside.
4. Making dough (can be made while potatoes are boiling)
5. Save 2 tablespoons of dry flour on a plate, for dusting while rolling out parathas.
6. Mix the remaining flour, salt, ajwain and 2 tbs. oil or ghee and add enough water to make a firm…ish dough. If you are new at making parathas, it is better to have a firm dough, which is easier to control while rolling out. Experienced cooks prefer a little softer dough, which make softer parathas.
7. Knead well for 5-6 minutes. This process can be done quickly in a food processor.
8. Leave to stand for 10 minutes or so. Knead briefly again.
9. Rolling out parathas
10. Break dough into approximately 10-12 portions. Keep covered with a moist cloth.
11. Dust 1 ball with flour and roll out, 8-10 cm. in size.
12. Take roughly 1/10th of the filling and place in the centre of the circle. Pull in edges and press in the centre, to make a ball.
13. Heat the griddle or tawa.
14. Dip the stuffed dough ball in dusting flour on both sides and roll out gently, to approximately 20 cm. in size. Roll from centre outwards, so that the edges are thinner than the centre. You will need to dust it with dry flour a couple of times during the rolling out process. If a little filling escapes, don't worry, just remove it.
15. Cooking the parathas
16. Place the paratha on the heated tawa or griddle (medium hot, not smoking hot). Turn it over when it changes colour slightly, you can see a few blisters on the under surface.
17. Cook the other side the same way. Turn it over again.
18. Brush oil on both surfaces, one by one, using a long handled spoon or ladle.
19. Press gently all over, using a flat spatula. This helps to fluff it up into a ball, as well as making it crisp. Cook until nicely browned and crisp on both sides. It is important that you crisp the paratha on medium heat and not cook them too fast.
20. Serve hot with a knob of butter, pickles of choice, natural yoghurt and Meethi Lassi/Namkeen Lassi 1/Namkeen Lassi 2 drink.
Notes

• In the beginning, it is better to have two people working together, one rolling out and the other cooking.
• Parathas can be made in advance, stacked on top of each other and wrapped in Aluminium foil and chilled or frozen. They can be de-frosted and re-heated before serving, either individually on a griddle. To re-heat, place 1 paratha on a hot gridle or tawa and allow it to become crisp on both sides.
• They can be cut in wedges, like pizza, and served as starters.

How to make Baries?

How to make Baries?

How to make Baries? Dried Lentil Dumplings

Bari or Badi or Barian
Mrs. Lalmani Lal

Note from Mamta: Baries are very spicy, dry dumplings, used in many Indian dishes. They should be made in summer months as they need hot sun to dry quickly. If you live in a cold country, a conservatory or a window sill during summer months is ideal for this purpose. Living in UK, I have only attempted to make them once, not with much success. Mrs. Lal brings them for me from India every year, from her fresh stock.

They are usually made in bulk. You can buy them ready-made from most Indian grocers.

Once dry, they can be stored in jars/boxes/plastic bags for use through the year, I keep mine in a plastic bag, in the freezer. This retains the freshness. Bari can also be spelled as Vadian/Vadi or Warian/Wari or Wadian/Wadi.

Before cooking, you need to break them gently, by wrapping them in a kitchen towel and hitting them gently with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer. Then fry the pieces for a few seconds in 1 tsp. oil. They are now ready to be added to any dish of your choice. I often use them without frying.

Adding 5-6 baries to a Potato curry or Khitchri or Khichri,’ lifts’ them up. They can also be added to various vegetable curries, meat dishes, rice pulaos etc., to give these dishes a distinctive spicy flavour. They can be soaked in water, mashed and used as stuffing for parathas, Kachori and Kasta Kachories. Makes approximately 700 gm.

Ingredients

• 500 gm. urad/urd/urid or black gram dal, skinless
• 375 gm. petha or ash gourd. If this is not available, use same amount of cauliflower flowerets, but petha is best because of it's fibre content.
• 125 gm. ginger
• 175 gm. green chillies or more
• 125 gm. cleaned coriander leaves, washed and drained
• 50-60 gm. black cardamom seeds, coarsely ground
• 60 gm. whole Panch Pooran
• 200 gm. coarsely ground red chillies
• 100 gm. coarsely ground black pepper
• 60 gm. fennel or sonf seeds, coarsely ground
• 25 gm. cloves, coarsely ground or pounded
• 25 gm. whole cumin seeds
• 10 gm cumin powder
• 25 gm. black cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. mace powder
• 1/4 of nutmeg, freshly grated
• 15 gm. asafetida or hing powder
• 15 gm. cinnamon powder
Instructions

1. Coarsely grind urad dal in a coffee grinder.
2. Soak in enough water to cover 1/2 inch above the dal and leave for a couple of hours. It will absorb water and become like a thick batter.
3. Make a shallow well in the centre, by lifting out 1/2 a cup of the mix. Add asafoetida powder in the well and cover with the 1/2 cup of mix you had removed to make the well.
4. Leave overnight in a warm place, to let it rise a little.
5. Clean, wash and chop petha or cauliflower, grate and squeeze all water out. Keep aside.
6. Grind ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves, all together, in a food processor.
7. Measure all spices into the bowl with the dal.
8. Mix all ingredients with the dal and beat vigorously. You may need to add a little water if it is too stiff. It needs to be of a stiff, dropping consistency. If you put a blob of this mix in a jug or glass of water, it should float to the surface due to trapped air. This trapped air is responsible for making the baries light.
9. Spread a clean cloth on a clean surface, like a tray in the sun. This amount needs 2 trays. You can use trays lightly greased with oil.
10. Place(drop) small blobs of about 1 inch diameter, like pakoras, onto the cloth.
11. Leave them in the hot sun, until bone dry (very dry). Store in airtight containers or plastic bags. Freezer is good, if you have a large one.

Rasedar Aloo Bari

Rasedar Aloo Bari

Potato Curry with Bari - Lentil dumplings
Aloo Bari Rasedar
Mamta Gupta

This is one of the simplest of dishes to make and delicious with chapatties or naans or parathas. The word Bari can be spelled in many different ways: Badi or Vadi or Vari or Wari or Wadi. The reason is that the exact sound of 'Bari' is impossible to spell in English. People spell it as they pronounce it in Hindi, that is why you get so mant spellings for it. Baries are highly spiced little dumplings, made from Urad dal, but not easy to make in a cold country. They need hot sun to dry out, even if you did manage to get all the ingredients. They are easily available ready-made from most Indian grocers, look for Punjabi Bari. This dish is very popular in Punjab, though it is eaten all over Northern India. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 500 gm. potatoes
• 6-7 small baries or vadies. Buy ready made or see Making Bari. If you can only find large ones, wrap them in a kitchen towel and break them by hitting them gently, with a rolling pin.
• 1 large onion (225 gm. approximately), peeled, finely chopped or grated
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated (optional)
• 150 gm. tinned or fresh chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbs. oil or ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• A large pinch of asafoetida powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp. chilli powder or to taste. Baries are hot themselves, so do not add too much chillies.
• 1 level tsp. sweet paprika powder for colour (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Boiling water
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry baries for a minute or two, making sure that they do not burn. Take out of the oil and keep aside.
2. Peel and chop potatoes into large pieces, like you would for roast potatoes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan again.
4. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When seeds splutter, add onions, ginger and garlic, if used. Fry until onions are browned.
5. Add tomatoes, all the spices (you can use curry powder instead of individual spices) and salt.
6. Fry until oil separates from the mass.
7. Add potatoes and Baries. Stir to coat with spices.
8. Add water and bring to boil.
9. Simmer until potatoes are tender. They can be cooked in pressure cooker, under full pressure, for 2-3 minutes.
10. Adjust seasoning.
11. Turn heat off and add coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot, with Chapatties, Nans or Tandoori Roti 1.

Garam Masala

Garam Masala

Garam Masala

Mamta Gupta

The word 'garam' means hot and 'masala means a spice mix. Garam masala is a mix of a few strongly aromatic spices and it is used to add flavour to many Indian dishes. The exact amount of each individual spice in the mix can vary from family to family. Some of the spices contained are quite 'hot', therefore, use only a little of it at a time, especially if it is fresh and home made one. For most recipes, garam masala is added at or towards the end of the cooking process. Once a dish is ready, the heat is turned off and the garam masala is sprinkled on top. The lid is then closed and it is left to infuse the dish with its lovely aroma.

Ready-made garam masala is often 'filled' with large amounts of cumin and coriander seed powder to increase the bulk. This makes the flavour less marked. It is so easy to make, hardly worth buying the ready-made! Also see Kashmiri Masala and Curry Powder.

Ingredients

• 1 tbs. black pepper corns (kali mirch sabut)
• 1 tsp. whole cloves (laung or lawang)
• 4-5 large, whole, brown cardamoms (sabut badi illaichi)
• 4-5 dry bay leaves (tej-patta)
• 3 inch cinnamon stick (dal-chini)or equivalent small pieces (In India, most people actually use cassia bark instead of cinnamon)
• Optional
• 4-5 whole green cardamoms (hari illaichi)
• 1/2 of a nutmeg (jaiphal), freshly grated. Or use 1 tsp. ground mace (javitri)
• 1-2 tbs. cumin seeds (jeera)
Instructions

1. Grind all ingredients together finely, sieve to remove any husks/fibres and store in an airtight jar to keep the flavours in.
2. Alternatively, you can dry fry/roast all ingredients lightly in a wok or kadhai, all together or individually. Cool and then grind them all together. This is supposed to give more intense flavour. Personally, I don't pre-roast them. I feel that the flavour is released and then lost, well before you come to use it. My mum and others in my family do not roast them either. Remember that in most instances garam masala is sprinkled on top of a hot dish, which is enough to release flavours.
Notes

• If you use garam masala frequently, you can make larger quantities. However, the aroma is lost over a period of time, so it is better to make small amounts, frequently. You can take a small amount out in a spice jar and keep the rest in an airtight container in a freezer. This will help to preserve the flavour for longer.
• If you cook Indian food regularly and grind your own spices, it is worth investing in a small coffee grinder, kept separate just for grinding spices.

Arhar Dal Tarka

Arhar Dal Tarka

Tarka Dal - 2
Arhar Dal Tarka - 2
Reeta Kumar

There are many different lentils eaten in India. This particular one is perhaps the most commonly eaten one. Different dals take slightly different time to cook. If you eat lentils regularly, I would recommend buying a pressure cooker. It makes cooking much easier and quicker. Water required and cooking time given here is average. Please note that there are many variants in cooking dals. For example, quality of the lentils, softness of water, whether the dal was soaked beforehand (soaked dals take a little less time to cook), intensity of heat and the efficiency of your pressure cooker. It will get easier for you to guess, as you cook more dals. Try to err towards less time, rather than more. If undercooked, you can cook a dal some more, but you can do very little with an overcooked dal. Sambhar. Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200 gm. or 1 cup arhar dal/tuvar dal (split pigeon peas
• 3 cups water. (use more if not using pressure cooker)
• Salt to taste (1-1 1/2 tsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• For basic tarka: (For other types of tarka, see notes below)
• 2-3 tbs. ghee or sunflower or olive oil. Ghee tastes better but oil is healthier.
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• A large pinch of asafoetida or hing powder
• 2-3 whole red chillies broken up
• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
Instructions

1. Wash the dal well and soak in water for 30 minutes.
2. Drain the water off before cooking.
3. Cooking in Pressure cooker:
4. Place the dal, water, salt and turmeric in the pressure cooker and bring to boil, until you hear hissing sound. Turn heat down to medium and cook under pressure for 4-5 minutes.
5. Allow the pressure cooker to cool before opening.
6. Open the lid and check if the dal is cooked and there is enough water. If too thick, add a little boiling water until it reaches the consistency you desire.
7. Cooking without a pressure cooker
8. Place the dal, 5-6 cups water, salt and turmeric in a pan and bring to boil. Now simmer briskly until tender. If the dal begins to look too thick and dry, you may need to add more water during the cooking process. When ready, it should be soft but not mashed.
9. Transfer to a serving bowl and temper as below:
10. Basic tarka or tempering:
11. Heat ghee or oil in a tarka ladle (this can be bought from an Indian store) or a small pan. Ghee tastes better but oil is fine too.
12. Add cumin and asafoetida powder and let the seeds start to splutter.
13. Add whole chillies and chillies powder, stir quickly with a small spoon, add to the cooked dal and cover with a lid immediately. This will infuse the flavours into the dal.
14. Other variations of tarka or tempering:
15. Use mustard seeds instead of cumin seeds. You can add 5-6 curry leave (meetha neem) along with the mustard seeds. Or
16. After spluttering the cumin/mustard seeds, add a little grated ginger and/or garlic to the hot oil, fry until beginning to turn golden brown. Add chillies and chilli powder. Now add to the dal. Or
17. After spluttering the cumin/mustard seeds, add one chopped onion, 1 tsp. each of grated ginger and garlic, and fry until browned. Add 1 tsp. curry powder or sambhar powder and 2 chopped tomatoes. Fry a little longer, until oil separates, and add to dal.
18. Serve with Chapatties.
19. Also see Dal Selection.
Notes

• Overcooked or leftover dal can be added to roti or chapatti dough. This makes delicious rotis and parathas.
• The amount of dal required per person depends on whether you are serving the dal with roti or with rice. Rice requires more dal.
• You can add chopped coriander leaves to all dals as a garnish.

Aloo Rasedar, Bina Pyaz ke

Aloo Rasedar, Bina Pyaz ke

Potato Curry 1, with Onion Free Gravy, North Indian
Aloo Rasedar, Bina Pyaz ke
Mamta Gupta


This is one of the simplest of dishes to make and probably one of the most commonly eaten one in North Indian houses. In my parent's house, it was made on most festivals, to be served with Poories or Kachauries. Traditionally, no onions are added. If cooking as food for fasting, add 'Sendha Namak' rock salt, instead of normal sea salt.Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 500 gm. potatoes
• 150 gm. approximately, tinned or fresh chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbs. oil or ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds or Nigella/kalaunji seeds or mustard seed/rai
• A large pinch of asafoetida powder
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp. chilli powder or to taste
• 2 tbs. dry methi leaves (kasoori methi) (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2- 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves.
Instructions

1. Boil or microwave potatoes in their skin.
2. Cool, peel and break or chop into bite size pieces. If you are looking for a thick gravy, mash the potatoes lightly with your hand, without breaking them completely. Or, mash a few pieces completely.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When seeds splutter, add ginger and fry for a few seconds.
5. Add tomatoes, all the spices (you can use curry powder instead of all these spices) and salt. If using methi leaves, add them now.
6. Fry until oil separates.
7. Add potatoes and stir gently.
8. Add water and bring to boil. Amount of water depends upon how thick you like your curry gravy to be. Some people like this dish with a thick gravy that can be served on the dinner plate directly. Others want/like quite a runny gravy, which has to be served in small bowls (Indian katori). Start by adding less and increase it to what is right for you. The choice is yours.
9. Simmer for a few minutes.
10. Turn heat off and add garam masala and coriander leaves.
11. Serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Parathas or Poories.
12. .
Notes

• You can use left over chips to make this curry. Whenever we have fish and chips in our house, there are always too many chips left over!

Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita

Mamta Gupta

Boondi raita is one of the most traditional North Indian raitas, served on festivals and at traditional wedding feasts. It is easy to make, specially if you buy the 'boondies' ready-made. Boondies are small, round, crisply fried droplets of besan or gram flour. They look a bit like rice crispies. In fact, when I was a young doctor in UK, living in hospital digs, I often used to make this raita using rice crispies, which gave a reasonable result. However, raita made of rice crispies has to be eaten on the same day as it gets soggy by next day! Serves 4-8

Ingredients

• For Boondi*:
• 1/2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour).
• A good pinch of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Water to make batter
• Oil for deep frying
• For making Raita:
• 3 cups natural yoghurt or dahi
• 1 tsp. chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roast cumin seeds, coarsely ground
Instructions

1. Making Boondi:
2. Place gram flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and add enough water to make a smooth batter. Beat it up well, to trap as much air as possible. This will make boondies lighter.
3. Heat the oil in a kadhai.
4. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the batter at a time through a boondi spoon or jhari/jhara (this is a large slotted spoon, with round holes**), into the centre of the hot oil. While doing this, hold the spoon only 3 to 4 inches above the oil, to avoid splashing hot oil on yourself.
5. Fry boondies on medium heat, turning frequently. They should be light golden colour when done. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on an absorbent paper. Cool.
6. Making Raita:
7. Soak Boondies in 2 cups of warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze water out gently or drain in a strainer. Keep aside
8. Beat yoghurt, salt, chilli powder and cumin powder together. It should be of custard consistency. If yoghurt is too thick, add a little milk or water to thin it.
9. Add boondies and mix gently.
10. Garnish with a sprinkle of chilli powder and ground cumin. You can also sprinkle a few chopped coriander leaves and chopped green chillies as a garnish.
11. Serve chilled.
Notes

• *You can buy boondies ready-made from Indian grocers. Surplus amount stays in freezer for quite a long time.
• **If you don’t have a boondi spoon, you can make a ‘boondi pot’ yourself. You need a small, plastic yoghurt pot for this. Heat a skewer and make holes into the base of the yoghurt pot. Wash with cold water. Now fill it with batter and allow boondies to drop directly into the oil. Keep it well above hot oil/flame during use, to avoid risk of fire.
• Raita can also be tempered tarka): Heat 1 tsp. oil in a ladle, add mustard seeds, 6-7 curry leaves and 2-3 small, whole red chillies. When seeds splutter, pour over the raita.

Urad Dal Kachauri

Urad Dal Kachauri

Urad Dal ( Split, Skinless Black Gram) Kachauri 
Kachauri with Urad Dal Stuffing

Padma Gupta

These Kachoris are different from Khasta kachauris that are eaten as snacks. These are traditionally made on festivals and special occasions. In our Gupta families, they are usually served with Potato Curry, Pumpkin Curry and Boondi Raita. They are at their best when served straight from the pan, hot and crisp. Serves 5-6.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (500 gm.) chapatti flour
• 1 cup skinless urad/urd/urid (black gram dal), washed and soaked for 2 hours
• 3/4 inch fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3-4 green chillies (to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp. fennel or sonf powder*
• 1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder*
• 1/4 tsp. hing or asafoetida powder
• 1 tsp. chilli powder (to taste)*
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• Oil for deep-frying
• *If you like your food spicy, increase quantities of these items to suit your taste
Instructions

1. Making the dal filling or 'Pitthi’:
2. Soak the dal for 2 hours, drain in a colander.
3. Place dal in a food processor, along with ginger and green chillies.
4. Grind to a COARSE paste. You may need to add a little water, but don’t make it runny. If it is, then fry it in a wok or karahi until dry like dough.
5. Take it out in a large mixing bowl, add all spices and mix. Keep aside.
6. Making Kachauries:
7. Place flour in a bowl and add water, a little at a time, and make a soft dough. Knead it well. Keep it covered with a moist cloth/handkerchief.
8. Divide dough into small portions to make golf size balls.
9. Flatten each ball between your oiled palms.
10. Place a teaspoon of the dal mix in the centre of the flattened ball, pull edges together and make it into a ball again. Make all balls and keep them covered with a moist cloth.
11. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. To check if it has reached correct temperature, drop a small poece of dough in the oil, it should sizzle and float to the surface quickly but the oil should not be smoking. If it is smoking, it is too hot and will burn the kachauries. Turn heat down a little.
12. Grease one ball at a time with oil and roll it out to 5-6 inch diameter. You can do this in a ‘poori’ or a ‘tortilla’ press. Traditionally, they are made by flapping a stuffed and greased ball too and fro, between oiled palms, until you get the required size and thickness (see pictures). This requires practice though.
13. Gently lift the kachauri and slide it into the hot oil from the side of the karahi. If dropped from top, it can splash hot oil on your hand.
14. Once the kachauri floats to the surface, press it gently all over using a ‘skimmer’ or spatula, encouraging it to fluff up into a ball.
15. Fry on both sides until golden colour and a little crisp.
16. Serve hot with Rasedar Aloo.
Notes

• You can make 'pitthi filling' this way too. Grind dry, skinelss urad dal coarsely and soak in double the amount of water (1:2 dal:water). Now add all other ingredients.
• It is easier if you have two people making kachauris, one rolling them out and one frying.
• If you have a poori press, it makes the rolling out process easy.
• Left over kachoris freeze well for another day. Reheat on a hot griddle or tawa or a frying pan until crisp on both sides. Serve with pickles and lassi (yoghurt drink).
• For short cut, soak approximately 200 gm of dal Bari from your kitchen cupboard in enough warm water to just cover them. In this case, you will not need to add any spices, except salt. Simply mash the soaked baris, add to flour and make dough as described. Baries can be bought ready made too-Mamta

Ghar Ka Khana - Moong Dal Khichri

Ghar Ka Khana - Moong Dal Khichri

Mung Dal Khitchri, North Indian
Moong Dal Khichri

Mamta Gupta
This dish is a nutritious and complete meal in itself, it is easy to make, and easy to digest, even for small children. When made from Moong dal and rice only, it is often given to people recovering from gastrointestinal upsets and other illnesses. Khichri is also spelt as Khitchuri, Khichari Khicheri or Khichdi.
Ingredients
•
250 gm. rice
•
150 gm. moong dal with skin (split green gram lentil) with skin.
•
A cup of prepared vegetables: peas, carrots, courgettes, chopped potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, green beans or whatever other vegetables you have.
•
1-2 tbsp. ghee or oil
•
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
•
A pinch of asafoetida, (hing) optional. It is good for digestion.
•
Salt to taste
•
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (optional)
•
Water
•
Other optional ingredients:
•
Chilli powder or 1 chopped green chilli.
•
1 onion, peeled, sliced and deep fried.
Instructions
1.
Clean, wash and drain dal and rice together.
2.
If vegetables are used prepare, wash and drain.
3.
Boil water.
4.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a pan with a tight lid.
5.
Add cumin seeds and asafoetida and wait until seeds sputter, not letting them burn.
6.
Add onions, if used, and fry until golden brown.
7.
Add rice and dal mix and stir fry for a couple of minutes. This will coat the rice and dal grains with oil.
8.
Add rest of the vegetables, salt and turmeric and give it a quick stir.
9.
Add enough boiling water to cover the rice, and 1/2 inch above it (1 inch, if not using pressure cooker).
10.
Bring to a brisk boil, pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or pressures. If cooking in a pan, cover and simmer gently on a low fire, until almost all water is absorbed and rice and dal are tender.
11.
Serve to children with natural yoghurt and adults with papodoms, Mango Pickle or any other pickle of your choice, Mango Chutney and natural yoghurt. A tsp. of ghee on top of the khitchri before eating gives it an authentic flavour.
12.
Also see Khitchri and Also see Dal Selection.
Notes
•
You can use urad/urid/urd dal (split black gram dal) or dhuli masoor dal (red lentil) instead of moong dal.
•
Kedgeree, a Scottish/English dish, is often claimed to have originated from Khitchri. It is said that kedegree is a modification or bastardisation of the word Khitcheri (spellings may vary on the web), though I am not so sure. Khitchri in Hindi means a mis-mash or a mix of. The dish is basically made of rice and ‘split moong dal ’ or ‘split urad dal’, with a tarka of cumin and ghee, salt and turmeric. It is eaten with fresh natural yoghurt, butter, dry-roasted popodums and a selection of pickles. Sometimes, vegetables are added during cooking.

Ghar Ka Khana - Aam ki Meethi Chatni 1

Ghar Ka Khana - Aam ki Meethi Chatni 1

Mango Sweet Pickle/Chutney 1 - Gupta Family Style
Aam ki Meethi Chatni 1

Suresh Chandra Gupta

This chutney was cooked each summer by my late father. It has been taken from his old recipe book. To this day, it is a great favourite of all our family members, even the ones born after his death! We eat it with Khitchri, Matharies, Aloo paratha and other stuffed parathas, Kachauri and many other snacks. It is good in cheese sandwiches or place a dollop on each savoury biscuit, along with a cheese of choice, and serve with drinks. Make it when raw mangoes are in season. Let it mature for a month or longer.
The word ‘chutney’ comes from original Hindi word ‘chatni’ which is a tangy and spicy paste, that makes you smack you lips, makes your tongue and mouth come alive! The word ‘chat’ or ‘chaat’ mean ‘lick’ and ‘chatna’ means ‘to lick’. The original Indian chatni is a mix of uncooked fruit (raw mango/apple/other fruits), green chillies, herbs like coriander and mint, a few spices, lemon or vinegar or tamarind, sometimes sugar, all ground together to a paste. In England, and the West, this is called Chutney, generally meaning a spicy preserve/condiment, where fruits or vegetables have been cooked in vinegar, with spices and sugar, and then bottled.
Ingredients
•
1 1/2 kg. green pickling mangoes (any green, unripe mangoes will do), giving a grated or chopped flesh of 1 kg, after removing skin and stones
•
120 gm. onions
•
30 gm. garlic
•
1 kg. sugar
•
60 gm. salt#-adjust to taste
•
1 tsp.red chilli powder-to taste
•
250 ml. malt vinegar
•
2 tsp. cumin/nigella (jeera/kalownji) seeds
•
4 bay leaves*
•
3 cinnamon sticks of 2 inch each*
•
2 tsp. black peppercorns*
•
3-4 brown cardamoms*
•
12 cloves*
•
1 small piece of muslin or an old hankerchief (it will be thrown at the end).
•
#Amount of salt: Some people have found the salt given in the recipe too much and are happy with only 10-15 gms. The best thing to do is to use less, taste when nearly ready and adjust according to your taste.
•
My father's recipe book says 60 gm. salt per kg. of grated mango flesh, after removing the skin and stones, not the weight of whole mangoes. My mum remembers this as the right amount too.
Instructions
1.
Peel and grate mangoes coarsely or chop finely.
2.
Mix salt, sugar and mangoes in a heavy bottomed cooking pan and leave for 1/2 an hour. This makes the natural juices in mangoes to ooze out and lets the salt and sugar dissolve in the juices.
3.
Stir once or twice.
4.
Peel and grate onions coarsely or chop finely.
5.
Peel and grate garlic.
6.
Tie all the whole spices marked* in muslin or an old handkerchief.
7.
Add to mangoes in the pan. Flavour of the spices will be released into the chutney through the cloth during cooking.
8.
Add chilli powder, onions and garlic.
9.
Cook briskly for 10 minutes.
10.
Add vinegar and continue to cook until the chutney thickens. This takes approximately 45 -60 minutes.
11.
Cool a little and pour into warm, sterilised jars.
12.
When completely cold, put airtight lids on and store.

Ghar Ka Khana - Aaloo Gobhi ki Tahri

Ghar Ka Khana - Aaloo Gobhi ki Tahri

Cauliflower and Potato Tahri (Pilaf)
Aaloo Gobhi ki Tahri


Geeta Gupta
This rice dish is made frequently in north Indian homes during the winter months. Cauliflower is in season then, cheap and very fresh. Hawkers and small town markets sell them freshly picked. This tahri can be eaten on its own, but in our family, we serve it with natural yoghurt, Sweet Mango Chutney, pickles and papads (popodoms). Pilaf is spelt as Pulao in India. Serve 4-6

Ingredients

•	500 gm. Basmati or any good quality rice
•	1 small cauliflower, cut into small floweret’s
•	1 large onion, thinly sliced
•	1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
•	1 tbs. ghee. You can use oil.
•	1 tsp. cumin seeds *
•	2 whole large brown cardamoms *
•	4 small green cardamoms *
•	4 cloves *
•	1 small stick of cinnamon *
•	2 bay leaves *
•	5-6 peppercorns (whole black peppers *
•	3/4 tsp. turmeric powder (optional)
•	Salt to taste
•	1/2 tsp. chilli powder (optional)
•	1 litre water (double the amount of rice in volume)

Instructions

1. Prepare vegetables, onion, cauliflower, potatoes.
2. Wash and drain rice in a sieve. There is no need to soak.
3. Boil water separately.
4. Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or in a pan with a tight fitting lid.
5. Add all whole spices marked * and let the cumin seeds splutter.
6. Add onions and fry until nicely browned.
7. Add cauliflower flowerets, potatoes and turmeric and stir-fry on high heat for a minute or so.
8. Add boiling water just 1/2 inch above the vegetables.
9. Add rice and salt and stir in gently. You can add rice before water, if you prefer.
10. Close pressure cooker lid and cook under pressure for 4 minutes.
11. If cooking in a pan, let the rice come to a brisk boil for 10-20 seconds. Lower the heat to minimum, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Try not to peek in every few minutes.
12. Once cooked, fluff up with a fork. Take care not to break the rice when transferring to a serving dish.
13. Serve hot with grilled Popodoms, pickles, yoghurt and Sweet Mango Chutney .

Varitions


A different flavour is obtained by adding a few strands of saffron while the rice is boiling.
In place of turmeric, you can add a cup of strong black tea as part of the water you are adding to cook it. Tea gives rice a light brown, ‘fried’ look.
Rice can be garnished with sliced onions, fried until dark brown, a few cashew nuts, almonds etc.

Bulbs

Bulbs

Thursday, October 13, 2011

About 10 years ago I bought 100 scilla sibirica, 50 tommy crocuses, and 50 chionodoxia, tossed them out into my part-shade yard, and planted them wherever they landed. It was easy; I just stuck a trowel in vertically, pulled it back, stuffed a bulb in the hole and pushed the hole shut with the heel of my hand.
The crocuses got eaten by squirrels pretty fast, but the rest have prospered, and my husband loves that I wont let him mow until they have faded, usually in mid-April. The sapphire-colored scilla are especially nice, set off by half as many white chionodoxia. Pushkinia might work too, but they bloom later in my beds than I would want to leave the lawn unmowed for.

Adding Fonts To Your Blog

Adding Fonts To Your Blog

Fonts for your blog!
Mommy Moment 4 Comments
So I have an obsession with fonts- I love how you can tranform your blog and personalize it with fonts. I was going to write a tutorial on how to add fonts into your posts and sidebar titles- However it is very complicated to write and I just cannot compare to the simple tutorial on http://www.kevinandamanda.com has written on how to achieve this.
I will however show you how to add cute fonts to your header using GIMP (don’t let it scare you away it’s a free program). Heres how you do it:
1- download your header from your blog by right clicking and selecting ‘view background image’. Once just the header pops up then right click again and pick ‘save image as’ and save it to your computer.
2- Open up gimp- and just simply drag the header from your desktop into the empty gimp window.
3- now select the text tool (which will be a black letter ‘A’) write your blog title.
4- now pick your font out the the list of fonts and adjust the size of it accordingly, you can also change the color of the font as well. and if you want to add a drop shadow to the text go to filters> light and shadow> drop shadow- then select the color of the drop shadow.
5- Once your font is in and it’s how you like it- go to edit> and save it.
6- now it needs to be uploaded to your blog, just go to your dashboard> design- which will take you to your page elements page. Once there go to the header and click edit, then upload your saved header from your desktop using the uploader- then select the option ‘Instead of title and description’ then hit save. and wala! you should have your custom font in your header!!
NOTE: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/ also has a great selection of fonts to use- if you want help with how to install them onto your computer go here or here if you have a mac

Lens Buying Guide

Lens Buying Guide

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Normal Lens – 50mm
In my opinion, a fast 50mm lens is a must have in every serious photographer’s camera bag. For years, the fast 50 was the “kit” lens. This somehow made it less desirable and the camera companies started shipping cheap zooms with their bodies instead of the 50. I think that was a bad call. In most cases, I’d dump the kit lens in favor of a fast 50 and one auxiliary lens (at a minimum.) The good news is that fast 50mm lenses are affordable. Here are my suggestions.
BUDGET
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
INTERMEDIATE
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SW Lens
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Lens
PRO
Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens
__________________________________________________________________________
Wide Angle Lens
If you photograph landscapes, architecture, environmental portraits or anything else that requires a wide view, wide angle lenses are going to be important to you. While photographers disagree about how wide is wide enough, I’ve always found lenses in the 20mm to 28mm range to be a consistently good focal length for most wide shots. Yes, there are times when SUPER wides like the 14 or 16mm lenses will be more appropriate. These are typically expensive and overkill for MOST photographers. Feel free to go wider if you need to and can afford it. For the purpose of this piece, I’ll stick with 20mm to 28mm lenses as a wide angle choice.
BUDGET
No Budget Choice This Category
INTERMEDIATE
Nikon 20mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 Wide Angle Lens
Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM Wide Angle Lens
PRO
Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED AF-S RF SWM Prime Wide Angle Nikkor Lens
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM II Wide Angle Lens
Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
__________________________________________________________________________
Zoom Lenses
I’ve already given my thoughts on zooms. In today’s economy, they will be the only logical choice for photographers on a budget. Thankfully, there are some very good and affordable zooms. Here are some of my favorites.
BUDGET
No Nikon choice in this category
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L
INTERMEDIATE
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens
PRO
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS USM Lens
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Zoom Lens
__________________________________________________________________________
Specialty Lenses
Some photographers will need specialty lenses for things like macro, wildlife, sports or architectural work. Here are a few that I like.
INTERMEDIATE
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.8 Lens
Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX ED VR Micro Nikkor Lens
NOTE – the above lens is designed ONLY for Nikon DX cameras. Full frame Nikon shooters should buy Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
PRO
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II
Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 EX DG Lens (Canon)

How to Use Windows like Softboxes and Softboxes like Windows

How to Use Windows like Softboxes and Softboxes like Windows

Above: This cropped section of a larger photo was lit almost entirely by large windows located to the right of the cat. After cropping, catchlights from the windows can clearly be seen in the cat’s eyes.

Post by Andrew Darlow – Follow Andrew on Twitter
For centuries, window light has been used by artists as an important source of light for visualizing portraits, still-life arrangements, and a wide range of other subjects. The advent of photography brought with it many opportunities for capturing scenes lit by window light, and for more than 100 years, photographers have used window light in countless ways.

In this article, I will describe how you can achieve the look of studio lighting from windows, and vice-versa. Like windows, softboxes come in an incredible array of sizes and styles, and one of the primary reasons for this article is to help you create the look and feel of window lighting anywhere you go, and at any time of the day.

Tips For Using Windows Like Softboxes

1. Have the window light come from about 3, 6 or 9 o’clock. In most cases, to replicate the look of typical studio lighting using a softbox, you will want the light from the main window to shine on your subject at 3, 6 or 9 o’clock, with you and your camera being the center of the clock facing 12 o’clock. In “map terms,” light should come from due East, due West, or due South.
2. Use “gobos.” When shooting with window light, it’s often more difficult to control compared with softboxes, so gobos can be very helpful. Gobos or “cards” can be just about anything that you place between your lights and your subject. Examples include: tracing paper, cardboard, aluminum foil, a chair, poster board or even a person’s hands or entire body (with their approval of course!).
3. Consider using fill light. Fill light can be as important as your main light because it can help soften shadows and create nice overall effects. Fill light can come from another window, a flash unit or continuous light (for example, a lamp). You can also use reflectors to bounce light back into your subject. Like gobos, reflectors can be made just about anything that does the job, from commercially available white, silver or gold reflectors, to the back of a printed poster.

Tips For Using Softboxes Like Windows

1. Use tape and other materials creatively. Black heat-resistant (and removable) tape can be added to a softbox to simulate the look of a window. Just two pieces (about one-inch-wide) attached in a cross-like pattern over the face of a softbox can create the look of a window, and just one piece stretched horizontally across the center of a softbox can also create the look of a window. If you don’t want to adhere anything to your softboxes, you can create the same effect by clamping materials such as black illustration board or thin pieces of fabric to the edges of your softbox using traditional clothes pins or “A-Clamps,” which are available in most hardware stores. Always use caution around lights that get very hot since many materials are flammable.
2. Put shades, blinds or extra diffusion in front of your softbox. If you think about the design of most windows, most contain at least two panes of glass, and many are covered (at least partially) with blinds, shades, curtains, etc. You can experiment with placing diffusion materials like frosted acrylic or tracing paper on or in front of part or all of the softbox. And just about any product made for windows can be hung from a lightstand with an extension arm in front of a softbox to create interesting effects.
3. Move softboxes in closer for larger catchlights and softer lighting. One of the most visually interesting things about portraits are the range of catch lights that you can capture in your subjects’ eyes. Whether your softbox contains a strobe (electronic flash) or continuous lighting, experiment and look closely at the size and shape of the catchlights that are being created in your subjects’ eyes. Catchlights will have even more impact as you zoom (or crop) into a photo. You should also notice larger catchlights, and a softer quality of light as you move the softbox closer to your subject-similar to the light you’ll find when photographing a subject in front of a large window.

window light - positions

window light - positions

Using Window Light Setup

This is the bride looking at me. This shot was taken by my second shooter wife. Notice how bright the window is compared to the inside of the church. Bringing in the flash for the shadow side helped the transition from light to shadow on the bride and grooms faces.

Another Setup Image from my Second Shooter

This is my favorite shot from the series taken by Meg!

A Beautiful Shot from my Second Shooter....Love this

Window Light

Window Light

Light Not Location:

One of the biggest mistakes photographers starting out make is thinking that finding a great location will automatically make for a good photograph. A couple of problems occur with this idea. One is that you have to keep finding great locations to be able to take a good shot and therefore you need to keep running around in a panic.  If first we prioritise light over location then we can take great pictures anywhere and there is nothing more rewarding than that. We are truly photographers when we can capture fantastic images at will any time day or night regardless of location.

The Rule of Thirds: A Simple Way to Improve Your Images

The Rule of Thirds: A Simple Way to Improve Your Images

Would you like to take more impressive photographs with a minimum of effort? Good composition is the key and the "rule of thirds" is the easiest technique to apply ... but it's surprisingly tricky to master. Beginning photographers tend to put the subject right smack in the middle of the frame. This is perfectly natural because when we look at an object, we center our eyes on it. However, to compose a photograph, you must mentally step back and consider the entire image.

	See how this subject is centered in the image? This is how we view the world so it's very likely we'll start out by shooting photos like this one.Now, imagine dividing the scene in your viewfinder into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. The rule of thirds has you mentally superimpose this grid upon your scene and move the subject so that it sits on one of these lines.
	Here we see the image with a grid upon which to place the subject. Adjusting the composition so that the subject falls on one of these lines creates a more interesting photograph than a centered image. Note how the subject is really not that far from the center so it requires very little effort to recompose! Placing the subject on the intersecting lines creates a much stronger composition.

You notice how this technique creates nine rectangles within your frame? Ignore them! The rule of thirds is about the lines, not the rectangles. It's a common misconception that those rectangles are used for something ... they're not.

The rule of thirds is particularly useful when photographing horizons. The typical beginner's landscape has the horizon bisecting the image. With a slight composition adjustment, the horizon is pushed up or down depending on the effect you want to achieve.

	The horizon falls on the bottom third line making for a very dramatic sky. The distant farm is placed on the right vertical third line making the composition that much stronger.
	Aligning the horizon along the top third line draws the eye through the greenery to the misty horizon. The image would not be nearly as dramatic had the composition been centered.

The closer you are to the subject, the more challenging it is to apply the rule of thirds. Full length portraits, for example, require you to place your subject to one side of the center of the image.

	In this full-length portrait, the subject stands on the left third line while his face falls on the top third line. The large open space to the right helps set the scene.
	With a close-up portrait, the subject becomes the eyes ... which can fall nicely on the vertical third lines and top third line.
	Placing the subject's face on the top and right third lines provides viewers with more context about the image, drawing them in. Having the subject on the right side is often quite pleasing to people who read from left to right. Doing so causes them to scan across the background before arriving upon the subject.

Some cameras provide a 3x3 overlay grid on the viewing screen to enable photographers to easily use the rule of thirds. Although it's easy to imagine the grid, using such a visual aid will serve as a reminder to compose the image.

There's nothing wrong with applying this technique when you crop the image in your editing software, but by training yourself to compose during the shoot, you will find yourself considering other composition methods as well.

Some people get hung up on the "rule" part of the rule of thirds, insisting that rules are made to be broken or some such nonsense. This composition technique is an excellent way of improving your images, but it is not an immutable law. There are many circumstances where you can not, or perhaps should not, apply the rule and must rely on another method of composition.

Attempting to shoot an image using the rule of thirds is certainly a challenge as you must consciously re-frame the scene. If you habitually center your subject, consciously apply the rule of thirds and your images will improve dramatically. The most difficult part for beginning photographers is to think about and apply any composition technique, so starting with this one is an excellent choice. Once you become aware of your composition, you will find yourself considering other techniques that will further improve your image.