All I need on my daily diet is a dish with lots of flavor and a hint of spice. However, there are days when I crave for nothing more than a super-spicy delicious homemade meal. Like chilly chicken or tom-yum soup or spicy chicken wings or roasted pepper dipping sauce. These kind of cravings mostly happen during cold winter.. Or when I have cold/fever and the medicines have killed my taste bud....
Spices: The combination of Nigella seed and fennel seeds makes these fritters unique on it’s own. Flours: There is the all purpose flour, the rice flour and the corn flour which mixes together in perfect ratio for the crispy texture. Nuts: I add a little bit of coarsely ground peanut to the mixture only because of the taste but you can absolutely avoid it if you want to. You could also add your choice of nuts, if you like....
Potatoes are used a lot in Indian cuisine and this is one of my favorite curries where potatoes just don’t work as a thickening agent or as an ingredient to add starch. This is a dish where tiny potatoes rule like a king. In Hindi, Dum means pressure and Aalu means potatoes which would give you an idea how this dish must be prepared. There are probably hundred different ways to prepare dum aalu but the basic concept remains the same....
The Easy Lemon Curd need just 5 Ingredients: EggSugarButterLemonsalt Points to Keep in Mind: You definitely need a heavy bottom pan and you cannot rush the process. It barely takes 10 minutes to make lemon curd but you have to allow the butter to melt slowly in lemon juice and eggs.Don’t leave the curd unattended. Keep stirring it constantly as you add the butter slowly while it thickens like a custard....
I am a tea lover and my morning ritual starts with a cup of tea. Before I got hooked to green tea, I used to sip a lot of lemon iced tea. But with green tea, the flavor gets elevated to a whole new level. I made a large jar of the green tea lemonade and sipped it all day long. Perfect way to cool down and stay hydrated....
What is Kumro Pata Torkari ? Kumro means pumpkin, pata means leaves and torkari means curry. The dish is also referred to as Kumro Data Torkari, where data refers to the stems or stalks. Not many people are aware that both Pumpkin stems and leaves are edible and delicious. It is used in various different ways in Bengali meals. What I am sharing today is a simple pumpkin leave recipe Bengali style, and will be sharing more dishes using these leaves and stems....
In south of India, Mixed Vegetable Sambar is prepared in several different ways and every region I believe has their own special way of preparing Sambar. I won’t claim mine to be authentic and can’t even put it in any region, as I am not a South Indian. However, I have been eating Mixed Vegetable Sambar since I was a child, as my Mom made Dosa very frequently. And this how she made sambar, simple straight forward loaded with vegetables and flavored with sambar powder....
Traditionally, the dish is known for its mild flavors, but every bite bursts with fragrant spices. With a soothing creamy gravy and tender paneer cubes, it’s perfect for those who enjoy comfort food with a sophisticated touch. I am not sure if my recipe is 100% authentic, but it sure did turn out very delicious. And most importantly, I love how effortless and quick it was to prepare. This dish showcases the subtle yet captivating spices that Kashmiris use to flavor their food, without overpowering the main ingredients....
We both enjoy eating different kind of cuisines and trying out new dishes. So, he decided to try the Coriander Breast Chicken with Wild Mushroom Polenta and Avocado sauce for his entree. As he was trying his first bite of polenta, I was staring at his face hoping the lunch doesn’t turn out to be a disaster. It was a success.. he loved polenta. I immediately registered it in my mind that I have to figure out what this ‘Polenta’ is and may be....
What is Puti Maach Er Tok Let me break down the name of the dish first. Puti is a kind of small freshwater fish, Maach means fish in Bengali and Tok means tangy. The selections of fish recipes that one can find in Bengali cuisine are countless. Some are spicy, some are mild, some are loaded with vegetables and others are not. There are also various fish curries/stews that goes with the season....
When you are living with a toddler, you get extra motivated to do few things like camping, spending time in the park, trips to zoo and of course, celebrating every important date. Valentines Day has never been big for us. We stay in, drink wine, cook something nice and that’s about it. Then, your baby starts to understand these days and talks non-stop about ‘Valence day’. So, you can’t help but make some treat for you little valentine....
What is Sourdough Starter Sourdough starter is wild yeast which is prepared by fermenting flour and water. How magical and simple is this? So, instead of buying packaged yeast from the market, you make your own natural yeast at home with just 2 INGREDIENTS. Apart from these two ingredients, all you need is TIME. Preparing sourdough starter is a slow process and you don’t need to do a lot of work but you need to pay attention and take care....
What is Soya Kadhi ? To break it down, soya refered to the soya chunks (high protein dry nuggets) and kadhi is a delicious yogurt based gravy. Soya kadhi is yet another version of the famous Gujrathi Kadhi Chawal. The gravy is the regular yogurt and chickpea flour base, creamy thick and so tasty. And Soya chunks or nuggets are the healthy alternative to pakodas/ fritters that are typically added to this dish....
Besides, it’s a great way to mix veggies and turn it into a healthy snack. Similar to what I did last time with beetroots and arugula. I developed love for beetroots at a much later stage in life when it became my routine diet for nearly six months. I was severely anemic and beetroots certainly did save me besides the medicines and other food. Not that it’s my favorite but I sure do adore the pink shade it adds....
We buy okra quite often, but then I land up preparing it only two or three different ways. So, this Bharwa Masala Bhindi was a good change, and I am sure I will cook it more often with different versions of spices and stuffing. How to look for best Okra? The recipe will not taste nice if you don’t get good quality okra. So, it’s important for you to pick the right one from the lot, even if it takes a few extra seconds to do that....
Tender okra offers a delightful crunch and a subtle earthy flavor to this dish. The key to mastering Bhindi Fry lies in preserving okra’s texture while infusing it with a medley of spices. Growing up, I never liked okra, but my Mom didn’t care for that. It offers a range of health benefits, and that was enough for Ma to make me eat okra more regularly. Okra is packed with essential nutrients including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, magnesium, potassium, and calcium....
Chicken Keema is minced or ground chicken that you can use to prepare several dishes. Chicken Keema Masala is a very popular dish in India and often found as a street food too. Serve with warm fluffy pav (mini buns) or paratha and enjoy it warm. The ground chicken doesn’t need any marination, which makes the prep work very less and the dish comes together in less than 30 minutes....
Fruit and Meringue Tart This tart is versatile as you can add you choice of fresh fruits, jam too if you like and make it as per your taste bud. Playing with puff pastry is fun as it works as great blank canvas! We are currently in the middle of shifting to a different house. It’s just three miles away from the current one. Last year, when we came back to US, we had just two weeks to look for a place....
Indian Spiced Chicken Burger As much as I love burgers, I barely make it at home. I find it stressful to prep all the components. But some days it can be fun too with some helpign hands around. I make the patty and the buns, and my boys gets busy with the rest of the components. Making the Chicken Patty for the Indian Spiced Chicken Burger Chicken patties are tricky to prepare....
The festive season has begun! And so has our craving for dishes that we grew up eating this time of the year. Durga Pujo is round the corner and no words can truly explain how much I miss being in India right now. We can’t make a trip at this time of the year. So, all I can do is re-live some food memories. Durga Puja to us Bengalis is just not about praying to Goddess Durga, it’s also about family gathering....
