Caramel syrup

Many recipes demand caramel syrup.  Its so easy to make. I usually make some and keep it ready in a bottle.  This way, I don't have to make at last minute.  I also find caramel so versatile, pour it over yogurt, over pancakes, make flavored icing for cakes.  It can change a simple vanilla ice cream to a special  treat, topped with nuts makes into a beautiful sundae.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp water
hot boiling water

Method:
Place sugar in a big saucepan.

Add water and put it to boil.

The liquid will soon start bubbling and the color will start to change.

Be careful, sugar starts to caramelize and changes color rapidly. You can at this stage decide on the color of caramel. Light brown color for cake toppings, ice cream, pancakes.

Continue heating, but keep an eye on the liquid.  It changes color very quickly.
Gradually, it will change its color from white to light brown to a rich caramel color.

Add boiling water, be careful , it comes to a rolling boil.

The caramelized sugar which would have turned hard, with the addition of water becomes a syrup. One needs to be very careful while adding water, it boils over so use a big pot.

Add a little more water, around 3 tbsp adn the caramel syrup is ready.
Store it in a glass bottle.

My notes:
Take care while the sugar is melting, the temperature is very high and you can get burnt badly if you are not careful.
The degree of color is your choice.

Sweet tamarind chutney

Any chaat or dahi baras is incomplete without a lavish drizzle of this sweet tamarind chutney. Adding to bhel puri or aloo chaat makes it all more tasty. I prefer to make it myself , experimenting with various ingredients.
The amount of spices can be adjusted to taste.

There is always a bottle of this in fridge.  I sometimes just add this chutney to whipped yogurt, spice it up with chilli powder and coriander leaves, sit in front of tv and slurp :)
The shelf life is quite long so one need not worry about finishing it soon. The number of ingredients added act as digestive aid for stomach also.

Ingredients:
 a tennis ball sized tamarind
 1/8th tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder (sonth) or 1 tsp grated ginger
1/8 tsp fenugreek powder
1 1/4 tsp black salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seed powder
a pinch of nutmeg
1 black cardamom seeds, ground
1/8 tsp green cardamom powder
1 1/4 cup sugar

Method:
Take tennis ball sized tamarind.

Soak  in water till soft.

Mash and extract all the pulp. It comes out approx. 1 1/2 cups and put it in a saucepan.

Add black salt, asafoetida, dry ginger powder, garam masala, fenugreek powder, roasted cumin seed powder, nutmeg, cardamom powder, red chilli powder,  black pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.
Do not add sugar at this stage.
Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for two three minutes.
Remove from flame.
Now, add sugar and stir.
Add melon seeds if desired.

My notes:
Do not add sugar while the tamarind liquid is boiling.  The sugar caramalises and gives chutney a blackish color.
Adding black salt is a must. This imparts a peculiar flavor to chutney.
Add chilli powder and sugar according to your taste.
Raisins and dates can also be added to the mixture while it is boiling.