Tag Archives: 2020

Cyprus in 5 days

Cyprus is a labyrinth of unending beaches, modern towns catering to all cultures, dramatic mountains and sleepy hamlets. Yes, it is famous for its beaches so much so that most people end up in their resorts and miss exploring the mountains and hamlets of this beautiful country. We went towards late summer and the weatherContinue reading “Cyprus in 5 days”

Aditi’s Aai cha ambat varan – Mummy’s khatti meethi Daal

When you missing your mom, you try and make things which remind you of her. As much as she doesn’t like her dal , pappa and me love it.Today is Sunday, coincidentally pappa asked her to make the ambat varan and I called her to get her exact recipe as it’s different to my recipeSheContinue reading “Aditi’s Aai cha ambat varan – Mummy’s khatti meethi Daal”

Egg curry with black eye beans

Give me some egg fry, give me some plainGive me egg florentine, I wanna taste egg all again  – anda premi That’s me. Noone can beat an egg when it comes to versatility. You can have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or with the drinks ( a pure Punjabi will always serve boiledContinue reading “Egg curry with black eye beans”

Moroccan chicken ( but with wine)!

This is a great soul food, easy midweek feast. Don’t get fooled by the name, you will have most of the ingredients in your pantry. A great explosion of lemon, honey, cinnamon and cumin with a smooth silky texture, what’s not to like 💃💃 I had always wanted to make Moroccan tagine chicken so checkedContinue reading “Moroccan chicken ( but with wine)!”

Buffalo chicken and teriyaki chicken

Crispy chicken in spicy buffalo sauceCrispy chicken in teriyaki sauce This is a super easy recipe!!!I know you will say that its what I always say but trust me, this is a child’s play! Varun made this yesterday and I don’t think I am ever going to order buffalo chicken from the takeaway ever again.NoContinue reading “Buffalo chicken and teriyaki chicken”

Shakshuka, yet another egg fan

Shakshuka- quick and refreshing – a very popular middle Eastern dish made of poached eggs in spicy tomato and sweet pepper sauce. Tried it once at a local restaurant and was hooked since. You can add olives, sun dried tomatoes, beans, feta cheese etc to it too. The key is to take it out ofContinue reading “Shakshuka, yet another egg fan”

Christmas menu 2020

Merry Christmas, dear cooks forum friends. So impressed and thrilled with all the cooking and sharing. Each and every post has been a virtual treat. At ours, the story was totally different. Yes, we did have a feast but didn’t hands much time to plan something elaborate. Also, somehow the madness took over and mostContinue reading “Christmas menu 2020”

Creamy red wine sauce with prawns and ravioli/any pasta –

Christmas leftover cooking continues. Last night, after ages, added some red wine and tastes amazing. So give it a try for that ‘hattke’ taste. Tastes better than it looks.You will need – butter, onion, garlic, prawns, red wine, cream, pasta Saute chopped onions and garlic in butter till translucent. Add prawns, sprinkle piri piri pd,Continue reading “Creamy red wine sauce with prawns and ravioli/any pasta –”

Mango Badam Pedha

Desserts, my weakness. Mangoes, my weakness. So here is one of my favourite recipes, a 15 min jhatpat one which combines both of them into an irresistible, fool proof delicacy which will have your family and friends permanently wanting more…. Recipe – 2 cups mango pulp good quality 2 cups milk powder 2 cups almondContinue reading “Mango Badam Pedha”

#4 Sweet potato, chick peas and red lentil soup

My brood has a soft spot for sweet potatoes. It fades a bit when it comes to chick peas and it disappears completely for red lentils. Since years, I have had to find to ways to mask lentils in their food. This wholesome heart warming dish does exactly that and is a hit with them,Continue reading “#4 Sweet potato, chick peas and red lentil soup”

The Humble Aloo- Mathura waale

One of my most memorable trips was to the land of Braj, Mathura, a couple of decades ago. I was wonderstruck by the dusty lanes, byzantine bylanes, the innumerable visions of Krishna and equally devout pilgrims. There were shrines around every corner with monkeys and kids playing with gay abandon as were the odd glimpseContinue reading “The Humble Aloo- Mathura waale”

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

One of my fondest memories of med school life were the carefree evenings, zipping around on our two wheelers, hair carelessly flying in the wind in gay abandon. The thrill of unlimited freedom for those few hours still remains unmatched. A regular stop used to be the Indo-Chinese street cart and sharing a bowl ofContinue reading “Hot and Sour Chicken Soup”

Apple and carrot soup

Apple and carrot soup –The average time for any gadget to reach its resting place in the dark recesses of our garage is 4 weeks. So it has been only 2 weeks that the soup maker has entered the house, too early to pack it away .Hence today was apple and carrot soup day. ThisContinue reading “Apple and carrot soup”

Easy apple chutney

So, I finally got some apples from my neighbour…. No, not stolen, in fact, he actually delivered it to the front door, in the rain. So made apple chutney and my neighbour  loved it. In fact, as I write this, I can see him on the ladder trying to pluck some more apples from hisContinue reading “Easy apple chutney”

Green tomato sabji and chutney

Since life is returning to nearly normal, gardening in my world is reaching its autumn too…. I accidentally stumbled upon a huge crop of green tomatoes, unloved and forgotten, in the corner of our garden. The label on the pot had promised red beef tomatoes and I realised that it was not to be. NeverContinue reading “Green tomato sabji and chutney”

Karela stir fry with coconut

Karela stir fry-This is yet one of those green monsters that has plagued me and given me countless nightmares in my childhood!  Eventually came across some really nice ways of cooking and masking the bitter taste. This combined the flavour of karela with fresh coconut, sourness of  tamarind and sweetness of jaggery, a win winContinue reading “Karela stir fry with coconut”

Hyderabad Mirch ka Salan

Hyderabadi mirch ka salan-This is a peanut based curry and tastes amazing. Important tip is to make a very very smooth paste first! Don’t rush on that step.Rest all is just adding the ingredients! Recipe –Fry deseeded chillies in oil and keep aside.Roast sesame seeds 3 tbsp, peanuts 5 tbsp, poppy seeds 1 tbsp, 1/4Continue reading “Hyderabad Mirch ka Salan”

Masala bhaath

Masala bhaat (traditional maharashtrian style)Accompaniments- kadhi, shengdana koshambir, coconut chutney, beans sabji, sheera. Aai was very proud and particular about her cooking, and why not, she made some utterly delicious dishes. She always insisted on spending time in cooking it on sim (which is now fashionable as the show cooker method 😁) and never allowedContinue reading “Masala bhaath”

Mini puddles of joy

Cheesecake is like marmite, you either love them or hate them….. And we are split down the middle in our home. However since my princess loves it, it is but natural, the piece de resistance of the house! I have made cheesecakes in the past but always get annoyed with the multitude of ingredients. ButContinue reading “Mini puddles of joy”

Just look around you…

Dear kids, I always have happy dreams, well most of the time. As a result of which, a routine day starts with me jumping out of bed, super excited at the prospects that loom in front of me. Within minutes, I am bounding down the stairs, shrill cooing sound which is oh so inappropriate thatContinue reading “Just look around you…”

Pineapple upside down cake

Pineapple upside down cake Since the oven and I don’t get on well, I usually resort to sweet talking hubby into making this and usually he obliges willingly ☺️☺️. Except for today when it was being recorded!This is a fool proof recipe, never fails.Some tips- do caramelise the sugar well and leave the pineapples toContinue reading “Pineapple upside down cake”

Salmon curry – no coconut

Sunday special – kerala salmon curry (super easy)Salmon pieces2 onions, Finely chopped6 garlic chopped3 inch ginger choppedCurry leavesRed chillies drySliced tomatoes x21/2/3 tsp- haldi, chilli pd, dhaniyaKokum optional Heat oil, add mustard seeds, onion, ginger, garlic. Fry until translucent. Add sliced tomatoes and curry leaves. Stir till it becomes a mushy mix. Add hot water,Continue reading “Salmon curry – no coconut”

And my princess turns 18 👸👸

Rhea’s favourite restaurant is Dishum…. Just like so many of us too. So when we realised we couldn’t go to Dishum, Dishum decided to come to us 😍😍. A birthday dinner fit for a princess….and she loved it! Nothing is more precious in this world other than a genuine thank you from your little adultContinue reading “And my princess turns 18 👸👸”

Persian Rose and Pistachio cake

This enchanting cake reminds me of a Persian garden in the late spring, adorned with the floral scent of rose water and citrus, and decorated with bright green pistachios. If it is not devoured in one sitting, the oil in the ground almond base ensures a moist, densely textured cake that will keep well forContinue reading “Persian Rose and Pistachio cake”

Methi anda and parsi chow chow

Eggs all over….. Masaledar Methi Anda ( fenugreek eggs) Parsi Egg Chow Chow Radish leaf with yellow lentil ( moong mooli) Yesterday i happily harvested our radish leaves ( well, truth is that the baby radish were rather premature and disappointing while the mooli leaves had taken over the entire pot!!!). Anyway, thanks to adviceContinue reading “Methi anda and parsi chow chow”

Chicken katsu curry

Katsu curry –Katsu curry is basically sweetish Japanese curry ( 1tsp curry powder+1tsp mild garam masala + pinch of pepper) mixed with flour and coconut milk.Easy to make and tastes heavenly. Recipe –Breaded chicken ( use readymade ones. I made my own but the coating was not as firm as readymade)Onions Finely choppedCarrots ( slicesContinue reading “Chicken katsu curry”

Puranpoli, the marathi feast

Following mouth watering discussions on our FB forum, a good friend Geeta Kamat finally revealed the deep dark secrets to the perfect puran poli. Bear in mind that she is one of the most perfectest of perfect cooks ever, making even the humble potato stir fry look like a Robuchan’s Pommes Puree on his degustationContinue reading “Puranpoli, the marathi feast”