My First Guest Post!

So I am joining the band-wagon too! Yes, starting today "Guest Post" will be a regular feature in my blog. Here I am planning to present you some delicious recipes from my family and friends who have inspired me, motivated me and the most important of all, from some of the wonderful persons, whose cooking, to me, is indeed a magic!

I am not promising to make it a weekly section, but I shall try to be regular as much as possible (given that I am such a lazy person, "regular" itself is too much a commitment to make!)

Kick starting this series with Pranita Raj, whom we fondly call Chinnu. We (as in my DH) are distant cousins, but when it comes to similarities, interests and tastes, we are not that distant at all! And she is the person who gave me the right push to start this "Guest Post" series. A greatly talented person esp when it comes to designing dresses and presenting the food artistically, this recipe of hers was featured in one of the editions of last week's 'Eenadu'.
http://epaper.eenadu.net/svww_zoomart.php?Artname=20100209a_007101006&ileft=587&itop=652&zoomRatio=130&AN=20100209a_007101006
Also she is planning to start her own food blog soon. So Wishing her good luck, let's hear what she has to say!

C&S: Tell us about yourself!
Pranita: A HR by profession, an artist by heart.. Thats what I am.. Super creative and Uber Crazy... :)

C&S: What does Cooking mean to you?
Pranita: I enjoy experimenting with food and as my husband loves homemade food, I always look to innovate and try out new dishes..

C&S: Your inspiration/role model/favorite cook??
Pranita: My mom is the best cook in the World :)

C&S: Your favorite Cuisine?
Pranita: I like Chinese and South Indian cuisine.

Recipe Name: Fruit Chaat
Speciality of this recipe: Done within minutes and very nutritious. Considering that Maha Shivratri is around the corner, what could be more apt than a recipe with fruits!

Fruit Chaat
Serves 2

Ingredients:
A Pineapple (cut into two halves length wise, and scooped out, and the pulp cut into small bite-size pieces)
An Apple/Pear (cut into small bite-size pieces)
2-3 Chikoos/Sapota/Sapodilla (cut into small bite-size pieces)
6-7 Fresh Strawberries (cut into small bite-size pieces)
A few seedless Grapes (halved)
Watermelon Half (cut into small bite-size pieces)
Kiwi (optional and cut into small bite-size pieces)
Half a Cucumber (cut into small bite-size pieces)

For the Dressing:
2 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 a cup Lime juice
2 tsp Chaat powder
1 tsp roasted Jeera/Cumin pwd
1/2 a tsp freshly ground Pepper
A pinch of salt (optional)

For Garnishing:
An orange cut into two halves, some strawberries and grapes.

Method:
Take all the cut fruits in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients of the dressing.
Add this mixture to the fruits and toss lightly.
Serve in the scooped out pineapple. Garnish with this orange halves.
Tastes best when served chilled. :)

See you all soon with another interesting post. Till then, Happy Cooking and Happy Blogging!