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Calzones make for a hearty and filling snack in a picnic basket or an entree for a meal on a hot platter. I love making calzones as they are so easy to put together, can be refrigerated for up to three days and taste super hot or cold!! Just add a salad and a cup of milk and you are good to go. I made the dough for the calzone covering with a combination of atta and whole wheat whole grai
Chayote Squash or what is commonly known as Chow Chow is not a vegetable I was familiar with in my childhood. I don't remember seeing it in a big vegetable markets in Delhi, though I am sure some smaller vegetable vegetable vendors might have carried it regularly to customers accustomed to using it. I remember eating a lot of Doodhi (Bottle Gourd) and Karela (Bitter Gourd) but Ch
Last weekend I made a super delicious cake. It had all the flavours I love including cardamom, banana, and caramel!! Yes I made the unbeatable Banana, Butterscotch, and Cardamom Blondies!! I had a little time on my hands so I even glazed it and made it pretty with some pink and purple sprinkles on the top. Doesn't it look beautiful. Yumm!! This cake is superb with afternoon coffee - th
Regardless of season I always keep green peas in my refrigerator or freezer. They are perfect for adding to pretty much any curry or dal and also make great stuffing for parathan, pooris, and kachoris!! I generally make very simple recipes with peas. However, as my brother was visiting last weekend, I wanted to make loads of special food to spoil him. This recipe is a real treat. It
Its here! I finally have the winners of the Street Food | Dhaba Food Recipe and Giveaway @ Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. Let me begin with a hearty Thank You to each and every one who participated in this Food Event and sent in all those delicious recipes. I received a total number of 70 recipe entries - 69 of which were collected via Inlinkz on the Contest Page and one that I received via email fro
Its been the most incredibly busy week. Its also been some time since my last post and I have been trying to get this recipe out on the blog for the last 4 days!! Anyway, its better late than never. This is a deliciously nutritious recipe for whole green lentils with kale. You can enjoy this quite simply in a soup form or with rice. Ingredients: 1 cup whole green lentils 1 cup frozen ka
Cabbage is an extremely versatile vegetable. When cooked correctly, it can hold its own to pretty much any other vegetable. Whenever I do a grocery round, I make a point to buy a nice head of cabbage, but I always try and make a different recipe with it. As cabbage is pretty much generic to cuisines across the world. especially India, this is not at all a difficult task. Today I am sharing a
In March I announced the first ever giveaway hosted at Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. This food event and giveaway ended on the 20th of April 2013 and I will announce the winners of the giveaway in the coming weeks. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every contributor and participant for taking the time to make this event a wonderful success. Over seventy unique recipes have be
While oats always means porridge to me, it was never quite as tasty as when made savoury!! I have been using oats to make savoury treats for quite some time now. Initially I found many skeptical looks when I would announce something like Oats Poha, Oats Upma, Oats Pongal for brunch!! But one bite and I had converts all around me:) Oats is seriously underestimated when it comes to prep
Simple gravies that go well with flat breads and rice are a staple of the Indian kitchen. I love cooking with beans and use a great variation of gravies to curry them Sometimes its just being creative with whatever is on hand. Sometimes its a pre-planned project complete with roasting spices, grinding, frying, and then boiling the beans in the said curry. Last week I got a bag of Great No
Green beans are a staple in my home! I purchase organic green beans at a local store and now that we are in spring we are getting wonderfully tender beans. I usually make green beans in one of the many ways my Mum cooks them. But I do experiment with them a lot and you will see a good number of green bean recipe on this blog. Today I am sharing with you a recipe that I created on the spur
Our weekend was hectic but good. As it was a warm Saturday with milder breeze from the south and west and we were able to spend most of it out of doors. Sunday was so sunny but marked the return of the chilly north winds and so we stuck it out at home. We are in the midst of an unpredictable stretch of spring, complete with sunshine, thunderstorms, monsoon like showers, and snow - yes snow!!
If you are looking for a quick whole meal there is nothing like kichidi (kedgree) or pongal (porridge)!! Both are very similar savoury complete meals that combine and cook together lentils and rice often with a medley of vegetables and spices. When I was growing up, kichidi was a favourite meal at least once a week. Pongal is something I was introduced in my college days over shared tiffins!
Its spring finally!! By that I mean we are getting consistent sunshine and little precipitation. This has allowed the mountains of snow outdoors to melt. Everywhere I look there are tiny rivulets of water snaking their way down to the nearest water body. Good news for the underground aquifers and the groundwater supplies!! At the home end, I am into Spring Cleaning!! Yes, in capital lett
I like to bake cookies. Apart from the taste, I love knowing exactly what they are made of - no artificial ingredients, no colors, nor preservatives, no hydrogenated fats!! This is not to say that I am not occasionally partial to the biscuits I grew up eating in India. Its more that I am now more comfortable with the home baked versions. You can put them together so quickly and most of them
Dry Chutney Powders are a perfect accompaniment to a simple dinner of dal, rice, and vegetable. I learnt about these powders when we moved to Mumbai and I began school there. The variety of dry powders and their delicious hot and spicy taste were a treat to my tongue. I loved to eat them with everything - yes pretty much everything! I included them in sandwiches, inhaled them with batata vad
For its first ever giveaway Annarasa ~ Essence of Food is teaming with CUPONATION, India’s largest coupon portal. CupoNation has generously offered a giveaway for 2 lucky winners. The two winners will each receive a flipcart egift voucher worth Rs. 1000.00 – the winners may purchase their favourite items for this amount via the filpcart website!! CupoNation is India’s largest c
Green Beans and Corn always makes for a flavourful combination, be it in a bake or a typically Indian style vegetable (sabzi). I make this combination a lot in late summer when fresh green beans and corn are both aplenty in the farmers' markets. At this time the beans are so tender, you barely need to cook them, just a gently fry is good enough. And the corn is wonderfully sweet and availabl
One of my very favourite tea time treats apart from Raisin Scones is Irish Soda Bread. Slathered with butter and jam, it makes for a tasty and hearty treat. The sheer simplicity of this bread is what makes it shine out amongst the many bakes loaded with butter, sugar, and eggs that could be sitting beside your teacup on any given day. Then there is the taste - Irish Soda Bread has a
Onions, Tomatoes, and Garlic in a curry - a whole host of Indian cooking count this trifecta as the basis of delicious curries that we enjoy in our homes almost everyday. But onions, garlic, and tomatoes as the curry? Why yes and why not?? Seasoned to perfection this combination makes for a perfect side dish for a sit down dinner or lunch any day. In northern parts of India these three i
Chili Corn is another dish that is a favourite at Indian Style Chinese Restaurants. Sometimes though I find that it had a little too much chili for our taste. Last week when it was raining cats and dogs here, we were craving some nice hot Chinese food with rice I decided to make Chili Corn. We enjoyed it with Jasmine rice that I had picked up from my last visit to the wonderful Asian store i
I chose to make Raincoast Crisps for the February Daring Bakers Challenge. However as my internet was playing hooky, I have been unable to put up my post until today!! Well, here goes - good challenge, tasty crisps. I followed the recipe, but made only one fourth the total quantity of the recipe. They came out really well. Thanks to Sarah for this wonderful challenge. Post Script: Sarah fro
I like a light weekday lunch, usually a roti, a cup of dal, and vegetable. Brussels Sprouts just fit the bill for a simple vegetable on the lunch menu. Though Brussels Sprouts are the bane of many a cook's existence, and often saved for a Christmas meal, at which time they are supposed to be a delicacy, I rather like their bitter nutty taste. This was one vegetable that I loved cooking throu
Here is a simple and healthy recipe for you and your family. A mix of yellow moong dal, green peas and a freshly prepared spice mix, this kootu is simply heartwarming. I love to make this recipe in the winter when its snowing outside and so cold you would not want to budge. The ultimate in comfort food, enjoy this kootu with hot rice and dollop of ghee on the top!! Ingredients: 1/2 cu
Navratan Korma is a classic dish from Uttar Pradesh that found its notoriety in restaurant and shaadi meals in India. The idea of nine jeweled curry with lashings of ghee, fresh cream, paneer, pineapple, and cashews seemed to befit special occasions and treats. Today Navratan Korma is still very much a part of the restaurant menu, more so in Indian eateries across the world than in India. Th
Idlis have always been a weekend staple at my home. Usually I pair idlis with a sambar and coconut chutney. But on occasion we also like them with rasam and milaga podi or gunpowder are it is know around here:) I have been experimenting with making all sorts of idlis and today I wanted to share a favourite recipe - dalia idli or broken wheat idli. When I experiment making idlis with
Not all chutneys are made equal and peanut chutneys hold a special place the Indian kitchen. To begin with there are just so many ways of preparing them. Then there are the many textures, the flavours, the combinations, the dry chutneys which can stay pretty much forever if refrigerated properly and the wet versions that disappear before the meal is over!! I could just go on. Generally sp
Some years ago I was a regular visitor in Hyderabad. Work took me there every few months. Though I lived most of the time in the city, there were weeks when I was out in the field. Whenever I was out on a field trip, I would put up in rest houses surrounded by beautiful greenery and fields. Early mornings were beautiful and when it rained it was wonderful to see all kinds of birds, bugs, and
Who does not love Mac & Cheese - its the ultimate comfort food. Deliciously simple and creamy with loads of cheese, Mac & Cheese in it many avatars has won the hearts of kids and adults alike. We love Mac & Cheese around here, but I always try to make a variation around this theme. This recipe is something that came to me as I sat down to plan dinner last week. I wanted to make s
What a way to begin the year!! It was such fun to learn about Gevelde Speculaas and the history of spices in the Netherlands from our hostess Francijin. Though I have made Speculaas at home in the past (I have a recipe from a really ancient cook book), and bought them from local bakeries, I had not yet tried the stuffed version. The pastry was so easy to make and the part I loved most was th
Good quality cauliflower is a rare and prized vegetable here in winter. While in Delhi, we got some of the best cauliflower in this season. However with inches of snow covering the ground here we rarely get to see a decent head of cauliflower between December and March. All the vegetable comes from the warmer climes and has for so long sat in some cold storage chain that it becomes a cha
Moth Usal is a classic Maharashtrian dish. There are many ways of preparing usal and every family has its own unique twist to the recipe. Sometimes the usal and its curry are prepared separately and mixed only at the time the dish is served. Some like peanuts in the sprouts, and the amount of chilies in the recipe vary from negligible to fiery!! Some like only green chilies in this recip
Many years ago, my Mum purchased the Parsi food classic Jamva Chaloji by Katy Dalal. She absolutely loved the book and recommended it to me many times. I never really got the opportunity to buy it and when I wanted to, I found it unavailable. Last year however, I was lucky enough to find a copy of it at a Landmark store in Mumbai. The book is undoubtedly a collectors piece. It belongs in
Here is another of my favourite recipes. I love to make it in the winter when we feel like eating a heavier meal as well as something really spicy. I came to know of this recipe many years ago when holidaying in Goa I visited a family who laid out a real Goan style feast for us. Though I have always been partial to Chole, this version left me speechless. The flavour, the texture, and the hea
I love cooking with soy nuggets, they are so versatile and wonderful! What I like most about them apart from the fact that they are nutritious is that they absorb the flavour of pretty much any curry they are cooked in. I always keep a stash ready in my pantry especially for days what I want to make a one pot meal or simply a quick curry. Of late I saw found a mini version of these soy nu
I have been wanting to make something with fennel and bread for so long I can't even remember. Every time I bring some fennel home from the supermarket, it lands up in a bake or a soup!! Last friday I saw some super fresh and crunchy fennel at the local market I picked it up immediately. I also got some fresh yellow onions and a nice batch of feta cheese to go with it - the result was this y
There is nothing a like a wholesome one pot meal on cold winter evenings. These days we are right in the middle of a cold spell, cold days and even colder nights. There are inches and inches of snow on the ground and pretty much everything is frozen. Luckily we have lots of sunshine and bright days that make the early sunset more tolerable. Thanks to the sunlight we see an endless stream
Absolutely loved this Challenge!! I have always wanted to make Panettone but was put off by the idea of so many eggs in the dough. But the fact that the Daring Bakers decided to make this lovely holiday bread encouraged me to think of ways of making an eggless version of the same. Just back for a a long vacation I set to work on the recipe and find ways of eliminating eggs from the recipe. A
The Daring Bakers had a great challenge for November 2012 - 12 Days of Cookies!! Unfortunately as I am away from both home and desk at this time I am unable to have a steady access to the Internet and computer. As a result I find my self posting my DB Challenge late for the month. With limited possibilities I have posted my own recipe of a cookie that is loved and enjoyed by many Indi
Earlier this summer I made my Zesty Onion Chile Bread and it was a big hit. Visiting India, I made a similar bread at my Mum's place (big thanks to her for the beautiful props, her super camera, and tonnes of natural light!!). I used a different mix of flours for the bread and thought I should share the recipe for this delicious loaf with my readers. Multigr
Diwali Greetings to all my readers!! I have been wondering for some time what sweet I should make to mark this festival and I realized that it has been some time since I made Kheer!! Badam Kheer or Almond Milk Pudding is one of my favourite Kheer recipes. The Kheer has a deliciously soft grainy texture, is fragrant with cardamom and saffron, and if you pay close attention gives a hint of h
Right in the middle of all the festive cooking, the deep frying, the sweets, the savouries, isn't it just typical that one should crave simple home cooked food!!!! I have been making festive treats ever since the beginning of the Navratras and all I wanted to eat yesterday was some simple everyday khana (food) - chawal (rice), dal (lentils), dahi (yogurt) - sigh!! I shared my cravin
I have a soft spot for Dal Vadas | Lentil Fritters. I am always on the lookout for opportunities to make them. They are so good with tea or a glass of lemonade. They make a perfect snack - deliciously crunchy with a soft centre. Dal Vadas are a lunch box favourite and they travel well. Pack a box for your next holiday and enjoy with a glass of sweet milky tea. I promise you will not re
Chocolate Doodh Burfi is one of the most popular burfi items around festival times in Delhi. When I came across this confection the first time I was quite frankly horrified by the idea. The very thought of combining creamy milk burfi with cocoa seemed strange!! But one bite and I was hooked. This delicious sweet is seldom found in the Mithai Shops we have around here. This year I was simpl
I always have a bag of cornmeal handy in my pantry. We love corn bread and it can be made in a pinch for soups and stews. Sometimes I make savoury cornmeal muffins. They are simply delicious warm with lashings of butter! I also like to make these for the lunch box. They are easy to carry and not messy to eat especially on a really busy day. Just warm in the microwave and enjoy with your fa
Yogurt is a must have during fast says, be it plain, in the form of lassi, or a fruit smoothie. This is the simplest way to spice up your yogurt and probably the tastiest if you are fasting!! I love this simple raita | dip as it perks up all fasting treats - it tastes particularly wonderful with any deep fried fasting foods. Ingredients: 1 cup plain yogurt 1/4 cup milk 1 tsp sugar
Here is another deep fried treat for those of my readers who are fasting this Navratri. I made some farali Aloo Bondas with sendha namak, cumin powder, and potatoes. I used kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) to make the outer covering of the bondas. As always the kuttu did not disappoint and they turned out delicious. So delicious that they disappeared almost as soon as they were fried. I
Oftentimes we are in a great hurry and find it difficult to spend time in the kitchen laboriously making sweets. This is all too true during the festival period when there are so many activities at home and events elsewhere that attract our attention. Yet the thought of store bought mithai is so depressing, especially to many of us who have homes on other continents! All sweets tend to tas
Kuttu or Buckwheat is the base of foods in the North Indian Hindu Kitchen during key fasting dates. Navrarti is no exception and delicious treats are prepared using gluten free buckwheat flour or kuttu ka atta during this festival period! I remember Kuttu from my very early childhood when my grandmother would sometimes add it to her diet during fasts. Usually she made roti or puri with it.
This is one of our favourite banana cakes. Seasoned with cardamom that complements bananas so beautifully, it is a perfect treat for the festive season! Of course, I love that the cake is eggless too. Usually when I make this cake in the afternoons for tea, I just dust it with some icing sugar! This time however to chase the rainy day blues away, I decided to indulge and frost it too:) The
