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What is Khaman Dholka? Khaman Dhokla is one of the specialty treats from the state of Gujarat. It is typically served at breakfast but goes pretty well as a snack too. Traditionally, you will use rice and split chickpea to prepare the batter and then fermented the batter overnight. Khaman Dhokla, on the other hand, is the instant version where you will use chickpea flour to prepare the batter. It’s then fermented instantly using either Eno salt or a combination of baking soda and citric acid....

My initial plan for his birthday cake was a white chocolate cake with basil frosting. He loves white chocolate. But every time I have tried to bake something with white chocolate, I’ve ruined it. If you have a foolproof white chocolate cake recipe, please do share the link/recipe with me. So, after two flop white chocolate cakes (it sank in the middle), I decided to go back to good old lemon cake....

My recipe for Masala Poori is very simple and quick, made with everyday Indian spices. It tastes best with Aloo Tamatar Sabzi , Pudina Aloo ( Potato Mint Curry) but also great just as is, with a cup of Masala Chai Masala poori is very much like regular North Indian poori prepared with whole wheat flour. But, along with that you also add spices, a little bit of chickpea flour and semolina which helps to add that extra crispy texture....

I bake Banana bread very often. The Banana Nut Bread is my go-to over the weekdays. But if you ask my son, he will always ask for Banana Nutella Cake. This time I used both the batter separately to create the marble texture, and it turned out so good. The Marble cake turned out soft and not overly sweet! It is a very easy cake recipe and even if you don’t bake that often you can give this recipe a try....

The cake is very similar to my Lemon Mint Pound Cake except in this cake recipe with orange and mint, I added almond too. The texture of the cake crumb is beautifully light and spongy. With a cup of tea or coffee, it is a delightful snack. Ingredient Notes for the Orange Mint Almond Cake Egg - I have always made this cake with egg and not tried eggless yet....

The best part about Indian Cottage Cheese/ Paneer is that you can either make a spicy dish or add it in a cold salad or even make a sweet dish. Arvind likes them so much that he can eat them without even seasoning. At times, I like to grate them, add little sugar and go mmmmm… mmm… mmm !!! When I was a kid, my Mom used to make me eat chenna everyday....

That’s when I started my experiments on cooking fish; burnt the pan, burnt the fish, almost burnt my hand ! I guess you learn only the tough way ! The concept of this dish was taken from one of my favorite food blog site Live To Eat. I used Tilapia fish but you can make it even with cat fish or Pomplet. The key point to remember here is since you using almond the fish shouldn’t be too rich in flavor....

What is Jeera Rice ? Jeera rice is cumin flavored rice. Jeera is cumin seeds. Cumin Seeds are tempered in ghee along raw rice and then cooked together. To enhance the flavor, you can add a few other whole spices too along with lemon juice. You can prepare Jeera rice in stove top on a heavy bottom pot, or in an electric pressure cooker or even in microwave. Keep in mind that depending on the variety of rice you use, the ratio of water will change....

What is Makhana? Makhana are lotus seeds and considered as a very healthy food choice. It is used in both savory and sweet dishes and makes for a great healthy teatime snack bite. It resembles popcorn and when lightly toasted, it even tastes similar. Here is a lovely article I read about Makhana and how it’s harvested. What ingredients are needed in Makhane Ki Kheer? Fox Nuts /MakhanaWhole MilkJaggery ( I used Patali Gur, date palm jaggery)GheeAssorted Nuts and Raisins...

Vijitha shares her love for Indian cooking through the stories and beautiful photos in her blog Spices And Aroma. She is one of those blogger friends whom I get to meet and chat - face to face. She not only shares recipes that will make you drool but she can also help you to stay on a diet. Check out her South Beach Diet menu to know more about it....

And now, we are off to California for a new beginning. Yes, we are moving back to the same place and I am looking forward to it. Such moves always invoke mixed feelings. I will miss these family gatherings, catching with my friends and authentic Indian food. But at the same time, I am excited to meet my friends back in US and I can’t wait to eat some good burgers....

Today’s post is pretty special to me. It’s a challenge, my first Daring Cook Challenge! When I saw the email from DK mentioning that my blog got approved to participate, I was super thrilled. Immediately, I jumped there to see the month’s challenge and I laughed out loud. This month’s challenge is to make savory edible containers and fill it with something appropriate. If only the mail would have come just a day before....

I don’t remember when or where I ate Mac and Cheese for the first time. It was definitely not my childhood meal. What I do know is that eventually like million other folks, it became my favorite too. It’s funny how something can randomly make a permanent place in one’s heart. As much as I love a light pasta salad with just a hint of parmesan on top, I can gobble up a plate full of creamy Mac and Cheese with equal pleasure and no guilt....

When I had initially tried smoothies and milk shakes, I remember tasting some really bad, sugar-laden milk drinks. Most importantly, the texture used to bother me a lot. I remember tasting a smoothie long back from a small juice shop outside my work place and it was a terrible version of smoothie. Zero punch, just sugar, milk and some fruits. I am quite sure that was what created my negative mindset towards smoothies....

In the past few weeks, with all the non-stop rain, it has quickly started to feel less like summer and more like winter. If not for the mandatory necessity of drying clothes in sun, I would have asked for these days to last longer. I love every bit of the coziness that comes along with it. Avyan is probably not too thrilled about it. Although he doesn’t mind cuddling with me on the couch and watch rain, I am sure he is missing his evening park time....

Our usual pasta preparation is mostly light and occasionally loaded with veggies. A generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese right at the end and we are ready to dig in. The sauce always plays a very important role. It needs that spunk and this garlic caper sauce does exactly that. It is so good that you can even use it for other warm salads or even as a dip. We usually go for good old spaghetti, whole wheat preferably, but when I come across a different kind of pasta, shape or type, I find it hard to resist....

I somehow never liked this vegetable much .. it’s too watery with a bland taste .. and too cold .. nay !! We used to eat this vegetable a lot during summer and the only possible way Ma could make me eat this vegetable was by cooking it with some shrimp and someday I will share this recipe with you guys . Today’s recipe is a typical North Indian dish and one of my hubby’s favorite....

What is Milk Barfi? Barfi is a sweet treat from Indian subcontinent. Very popular in North of India. It is milk based and can be flavored in various different ways. The name is a spinoff of the urdu word barf (snow) which basically means the texture of this Indian sweet, Barfi shouldn’t be too dense or chewy. Instead, Barfi should just melt in the mouth at every bite. What is the right texture of Milk Barfi It should feel light, crumbly, but holds its shape....

When it comes to planning a menu for parties, I always look for recipes that can be prepared in advance, that is stress free and that can be arranged in bulk. I also try to think of dishes that can be baked and that can stay warm in the oven until it’s ready to serve. So when your guest arrives, you are ready to party without worrying about the food to serve....

Rasmalai Ras meaning juice and malai means cream, this dessert is originated from the eastern region of Indian subcontinents. Bengalies like to call it Roshomalai. Rasmalai has always been one of my favorite desserts, even when I didn’t have a sweet tooth. For me, the creamy milk needs to be the right consistency, not too thick or too thin. The fresh cheese dumplings need to be soft and airy. There are multiple steps involved, and it may feel like a lot of work, but it will be worth it at the end when you take that first bite....