We both have always been fond of greens. I am not talking about salad here. We mostly like it stir fried with bite size potatoes, cooked with lentils, mixed with fried rice, cooked with meat or stuffed paratha. So, as you can see, we relish greens quite a bit. If there was one green that took a long time to settle in our daily diet, it’s kale! Don’t ask me why but it used to taste a little too bitter to me and I don’t like anything bitter....
Lassi is a very popular yogurt-based drink in India which is served in regular cafes, rode side stalls and of course at home all summer round. There are several different ways you can serve Lassi. Strawberry lassi is just one such flavor choice that kids love a lot, probably because of the color. I personally love Delhi street side lassi that is foamy and topped with a thick layer of “malai (milk skin)” or this fruit lassi....
Our garden is showering us with zucchinis of different sizes, and this is probably the first time we are eating this much zucchini on repeat. Gratin is my go-to way to use veggies in a delicious creamy way that even kids who runs away from vegetables will go for second servings. And Zucchini gratin is a low carb, baked casserole dish. I had to also add some of the flowers on top for the sweet note....
Aloo in Bengali means potato, Begun is eggplant and Jhol refers to curries with gravy. This is a quintessential side dish that we prepare with no onion and no garlic, pure vegetarian style. Sometimes the same Aloo Begun Jhol is prepared with fish but the over all taste still remains very light and perfect for warm days. Here is a link to the recipe I had shared earlier of Macher Jhol Aloo Begun Diye....
Baking cookies with my kiddo is one of my favorite Holiday tradition, and I often look for cookies that can be easy to make with him. The Soft Gingerbread cookies and the Candy Cane Cookies are a must every year. It’s been a while since I baked these chocolate crinkle cookies, and it is one of my favorite cookies. So this time I decided to make a detailed video to show you how easy the steps are....
Red chutney is the sweet chutney, prepared with tamarind and it’s sweetened with dates or jaggery or sometimes both. Green chutney is the savory spicy one and it’s prepared with cilantro, mint and green chili. Both these chutneys are so easy to fix and stock up that it’s a shame to buy a bottle from the super market. When I mentioned in my last post about indulging on street food, I meant quite seriously because I have few of our favorite street foods lined up to be shared....
Meethi Boondi is a great Diwali mithai and takes very less effort to prepare it. WHAT IS MEETHI BOONDI? Boondi are crispy fried pearls. You can serve it as snack called khara boondi or as dessert, sweet boondi or meeth boondi. You prepare it with gram flour (besan) which makes it gluten free. Orange is the most common color but you can switch it up and green or red too....
Arvind thinks I should start with cactus, but am not giving up yet. It’s still my dream to have an edible garden someday. For now, I will just depend on the market. Methi/Fenugreek had not been my preferred choice of flavor until a few years back. Credit goes to Arvind, who likes fresh fenugreek leaves a lot. So I started cooking with it more frequently. I prepared it with lentil soup, stuffed it in naan, sautéed with potatoes/paneer, made fritters and then I got my favorite, preparing it with chicken....
Why Quinoa Dosa? Traditional dosa is made from fermented rice and lentils, is a staple in many Indian households. It’s known for its light, crispy texture and versatility as a breakfast or dinner option. However, incorporating quinoa into the batter elevates the nutritional profile of dosa while retaining its characteristic crispiness and flavor. It is a healthier option, high protein meal idea without compromising on taste or texture Health Benefits of Quinoa Dosa High in Protein: Quinoa dosa is an excellent source of plant-based protein, making it a great option for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone looking to increase their protein intake....
As much as I love baking bread or cake, I am just so much intimated with the idea of baking cookies. I have had several flops so far where the entire batch had to be discarded right after the first bite. Shortbread cookies always felt a little less challenging but the amount of butter that goes in panics me! So, I avoided it till now. But now, I have a toddler who happens to love shortbread cookies which means I could bake them more often....
Roasted Broccoli and Fennel Soup This broccoli and fennel soup doesn’t have the most gorgeous shade and may look plain. But it has robust flavor from roasting the broccoli and fennels with a lot of garlic. While the veggie was getting roasted, I boiled some potatoes with onion. Blending it all together made the soup creamy without adding any cream to it. Of course, you could add cream, milk or cheese, if you wish....
I have quite a few soba noodles recipes up on the blog. But, it’s never enough for me. The nutty buckwheat flavor, the gorgeous hew of brown and that firm texture makes soba noodles my absolute favorite of all. Soba Noodles with Salmon This soba noodles with salmon happened without any planning. It was more of a way to finish those little bits from a big salmon fillet that always gets trimmed off when I want perfectly sized tiny fillets....
What ingredient goes in this Sugar Cookies? These sugar cookies are really very simple, prepared with very basic ingredients: All purpose floursoftened butterwhite granulated sugareggorange zestbaking powdersalt KEY points to hold the shape of the cookies: Use good quality butter kept at room temperature, not melted or cold.The butter should mix with the flour completely. If there were chunks of butter then it would melt when bakes and there by loose the shape....
As a food photographer, vibrant fresh seasonal produce is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I often grab produce without even thinking how I am going to use it in a dish. That’s exactly what happened when I saw these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. A delicious raw salad or simply topped on a crusty toast are the best ways to go with these seasonal sweet tomatoes. But I figured that making a galette or tart would be the best way to make my kid enjoy these juicy tomatoes....
To break down the word Aloo Paratha - Aloo are potatoes and paratha is Indian flat bread. No-knead, no yeast, just a simple humble Indian bread that can be stuffed with numerous things. Aloo (Potatoes) is an all-time favorite stuffing in paratha. Aloo Paratha is definitely carb loaded which is what makes it so hearty and while I like to wash it down with a cup of Masala Chai, my husband and our little fella likes a glass of sweet lassi....
There is a reason why the food tastes bland when we have cold. We don’t get to smell the food and hence, we don’t get the taste of it. Currently, that’s my situation and the medicine is further killing my palate. It feels like for a past few days, all I am talking about is how I have been either taking care of my sick baby or how I am dealing with my sickness....
Bengali Aloo Bhaja: The Essence of Simplicity In the vast array of Indian cuisine, there are certain dishes that always evoke a sense of comfort, of home, and of sheer indulgence. Among these treasures is the humble yet incredibly satisfying Bengali Aloo Bhaja. Aloo is Potato and Bhaja means stir-fried. The magic lies in the simplicity of its preparation, which doesn’t call for a long list of ingredient or spices....
Chena Murki is crystallized paneer and if prepared properly, then sugar-coated paneer will turn out soft at every bite. Often the store bought ones are just overly sweet and feels too hard to bite. It barely has any soft chena texture. And so I prefer to make it at home. Ingredients for Chena Murki Paneer - Get good quality paneer block. Preferably, get malai paneer if you can find it available in your store....
I am all about marinating chicken overnight with the spices. For me, it is a very important step to juicy flavorful chicken curry. This dish doesn’t need that preparation at all but I still let the chicken marinate in salt and lemon juice for just 15 minutes while I prepare the spice mixture. The Spice Mixture for the Chicken Sukka This is the key to this dish. This dish has a lot of earthy spices and all these together create a beautiful balance....
