tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88494597763129453442012-02-21T01:07:08.318-05:00Food House of Indian Recipes for Curries and Subzis with an added Touch/Twist to enhance Zest/Nutrition/Texture and Appearance. Discover variety of exotic Home made Blend of Indian Spices for Veg/Non-Veg Indian Dishes.Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.comBlogger1231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-84591353875530571272012-02-14T23:33:00.010-05:002012-02-15T06:27:41.078-05:00

This past summer few roses bloomed in my small patio garden. I had one pot of  red knock-out roses  gifted by my friend and another pot of red miniature rose survived from last years Valentine's day. Later part of  the summer I got two more rose plants from Lowes store, one is  hybrid Tea rose and another is  Floribundas  white iceberg,  they produce beautiful clusters of blossoms. Last years

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-77348187289212632982012-01-17T19:42:00.029-05:002012-01-30T02:58:20.000-05:00

Sankranti is a festival of Sun God. On 14th January Sun starts his journey to the northern hemisphere and moves into Makar Rashi (Capricorn) This signifies end of winter season and the beginning of  new harvest season. I like this festival because Sankranti day marks  the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture, this day onwards days get longer and warmer. Sankranti promotes optimistic

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-65246918055196713502012-01-02T18:23:00.044-05:002012-01-30T02:42:57.139-05:00

Weekend subji is cooked with more relaxed mood and healthier approach. In a fridge I  had a pack of fresh mushrooms, red radishes and green beans. I decided to make mix vegetable subji with freshly ground mild spice blend. This is my first recipe post for year 2012. Looking forward to share variety of recipes this year and at the same time few unpublished recipes/ nature related posts will be

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-34355127400457927522011-12-25T14:31:00.000-05:002011-12-25T14:31:47.932-05:00

Wishing all my followers, readers, visitors  a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the  New Year. May your Holidays and New Year be filled with Peace, Joy and lasting Happiness. Today we have wonderful Christmas weather here in Cary,  contrary to last years extreme winter weather that had brought  White Christmas in NC. It is cloudy with temperatures reaching mid 50s. Morning I took a stroll

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-59217523030124017162011-11-27T13:24:00.124-05:002012-02-13T03:52:39.517-05:00

Cranberries, unique American berries are promoted as super fruit because of antioxidant properties which may help prevent urinary track infections. During thanksgiving time I had picked up  one fresh cranberry / Bounce berry  packet from grocery store, this was my first  time  to cook with fresh cranberries. I prepared  spicy cranberry chutney in mustard oil with generous use of fresh ginger and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-5097298545920567812011-11-18T23:20:00.078-05:002011-11-24T08:23:42.182-05:00

Yesterday I cooked Bitter melon stir fry with some twist from regular cooking method. I used  two different  cooking methods, that is - use of oven  and  stove, two cooking steps and later combined results of both cooking processes. Karela subzi / bitter melon stir fry was more tastier than stove top method.  If you don't like bitter melon, do make  an effort to develop liking because bitter

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-24793534266793587962011-11-12T16:18:00.051-05:002011-11-16T13:36:09.585-05:00

Tapioca/Kappa and fish curry combination is a  very  popular staple dish  of Kerala and is regularly cooked   in my kitchen. Recently we are not getting good quality Tapioca, each time half the quantity is wasted due to stained and porous texture. This time I was lucky to get very fresh Tapioca from local Mexican store. I cooked kappa stir fry and fish curry. Instead of cooking fish curry in

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-78902252282937510062011-10-26T13:44:00.000-04:002011-10-26T13:44:21.565-04:00

Today is  the Festival of lights, Diwali signifies the victory of lights over darkness and  of truth over dishonesty and of happiness over sorrow. Let the world  work towards this Deepavali Spirit to bring peace, equality and justice. May this Festival of Lights bring blessings of Joy, Prosperity, Peace and Good health to all my followers, readers and visitors.  You all have a wonderful New

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-46865751194376831342011-09-28T14:22:00.037-04:002011-10-15T00:19:36.252-04:00

Adding sauteed greens as side always brings tastier, healthier meals packed with multiple food value .Cooking Sauteed Greens by pairing up with  veggies makes more enriched stir fry. I am posting two stirfry recipes, First one is Daikon and spinach combination and second stir fry is cooked with locally grown mustard greens and red spring onions.These stir fries are simple, seasoned with only

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-61791912443783399572011-09-26T23:54:00.188-04:002011-09-27T05:07:01.082-04:00

Now summer is getting milder,  we have cooler temperatures since last two weeks and  since last 3-4 days we are enjoying beautiful rainy weather. Good rainy summer always brings out break of lawn/ yard mushrooms and this year it seems weather is more  cozy for mushroom growth in  Cary,NC. Yesterday  early morning I spotted beautiful Puffball/ Earthball / Pigskin poison puffball mushroom and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-39222164861337729302011-08-29T03:25:00.000-04:002011-08-29T03:25:27.894-04:00

Last weekend on 21st and 22nd August Krishna Jayanti/ Gokulashtami  was celebrated by all Krishna devotees all over the world. I celebrated by doing simple Shri Krishna Pooja and cooked one savory and  two sweet dishes for Krishna Neyvaedyam/Prasadam offering. I made appam and  Kheer with Dagdi Poha(aval)+ Sabudana, combining poha and sabudana gave wonderful texture, taste to the Kheer. For

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-33467889813087234412011-07-20T23:42:00.069-04:002011-11-16T15:46:16.813-05:00

This Summer I grew few plants and herbs in  the pots. Inspired by the Mint and Basil growing in my  patio garden I cooked this herb packed meal. I had one fresh ear of corn from local farmers market and few garden grown cucumbers shared by my friend, with few other veggies and ingredients I prepared this delicious Thali containing Cucumber Paratha, coconut Basil rice with green peas and snow peas

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-28750746224630012022011-07-11T02:46:00.212-04:002012-02-12T21:01:11.727-05:00

Sunday special lunch menu - King Mackerel curry, oven baked king mackerel steaks, locally grown green and wax beans stir fry infused with pot grown spicy globe basil leaves, all this  was served with Kerala matta rice. Here in NC we get fresh King Mackerel / King Fish in local Chinese store. I always get around 2 lbs King mackerel and cook curry and fry. For more information on King mackerel

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-49172002381376804132011-05-25T09:07:00.009-04:002011-07-29T03:56:17.999-04:00

Dogwood is North carolina's state flower. In Cary and Raleigh Dogwood trees are found  abundantly, they display spectacular eye pleasing bloom in Spring, during summer they get covered with  green leaves and the same green glow changes into shades of  red/orange color in fall. No wonder Dogwood ( Cornus florida) is one of the most popular tree planted to beautify the  landscapes. Floral beauty of

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-78429789882393206712011-05-24T10:28:00.003-04:002011-08-29T04:04:57.669-04:00

Locally grown fresh produce is full of flavors and nutrition, adding them to routine meal is a natural way to stay healthy. I had cooked Bok choy stirfry few years ago and some how I never picked this vegetable for long time. Recently Martin, Chef and owner of Martin's Curry rice shared one nice locally grown bok choy with me, I was delighted to have Bok choy back in my Green vegetable list.

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-34244770092738706442011-05-11T18:24:00.018-04:002011-07-27T23:12:29.677-04:00

Different varieties of  Lentils/Beans/grains  are my favorite cooking ingredients. They contain protein, vitamins, minerals, fibers so it gives me great cooking satisfaction. Every time I let my instincts decide to pick the combination, this time -- "Quinoa, Split moong Dal, Buckwheat" got paired up. I further enriched it with chayote chunks. No Garam masala  is used except one single bay leaf to

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-65841870486845617792011-04-17T23:52:00.071-04:002011-06-12T21:52:58.055-04:00

Rassa Bhaji is a  curried subji dish  from  Maharashtra region, Rassa is  made with combination of potato, cauliflower, brinjal, carrots, tondli (ivy gourd), green peas. It is lightly seasoned with goda masala and has perfect mild combination of  sweet and sour taste. I cooked this rassa subji on one warm winter day in February, temperature raised above 60, weather turned very pleasant. It was

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-14935223296953798222011-04-13T01:13:00.023-04:002011-05-14T01:33:43.621-04:00

Spring season is my favorite season. Renewal of nature and warmer temperatures  bring energized spirits of hope and joy. I love the vibrant magical scene all around city filled with  gorgeous colorful flowers, a perfect time of the year  to enjoy the outdoors.  Following  flowers are captured around home except Magnolia flower pictures are taken while driving in Raleigh area. I will be making few

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-1996216489753777042011-04-02T18:37:00.118-04:002011-06-12T21:51:02.811-04:00

ICC Cricket world cup 2011 was the tenth cricket tournament played on 2nd April 2011. It was impressive remarkable performance by India team, they  became World Champions in one day Cricket after 28 years. I am not cricket fan and I rarely watch cricket match but  this day  marked a very special memory because after 13 years  my family watched live cricket match on our home TV. ICC world cup

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-67120670971430095192011-03-27T10:45:00.011-04:002011-04-13T00:05:33.857-04:00

A  pleasant  morning during fall season, On 16th November 2010.. I was driving from Raleigh to Cary around 7.30 am, weather was  very pleasant, cloudy with lovely mild golden sun rays all around. I  captured following pictures with  cell phone camera (Samsung-SGH-A877) at certain catchy spots. In future I will be posting more pictures from my daily early morning drive. Enjoy!! ._._._._._

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-80537277174632630712011-03-07T01:24:00.003-05:002011-04-09T00:03:25.182-04:00

I enjoy Chinese and Thai dishes for their distinct  taste, they are full of flavor and nutrients. I  mostly cook veg and non-veg stir fries by using basic Asian and Thai cooking ingredients. This simple eggplant stir fry has Thai flavor. It is quick to prepare and tastes spicy, sweet and sour. Fresh purple basil and cilantro infused extra herbal aroma. Try this stir fry when you crave for

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-23626592149477189592011-03-02T14:48:00.004-05:002011-03-03T01:56:43.136-05:00

My warm MahaShivaratri wishes to all  followers, readers and visitors. Lord Shiva's blessings may always be with you. Today I made spicy sweet potato (shakkarkand,ratale) bhajia with samo rice flour, since samo flour do not contain gluten I used mashed potato for binding. Cumin and green chili added zest. Fritters turned extra crispy and delicious. This is easy and delicious fasting treat.

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-294956798523196332011-02-14T23:41:00.550-05:002011-06-12T21:49:23.959-04:00

This year for Valentine's Day I  wanted to cook something more Desi or say Indianized Valentine Dish. I came up with Sweet Rice / Pulao and  spicy fruity salad. I cooked Sweet pulav  based on the Maharashtrian Naralee Bhat /Sakhar Bhat / kesari Bhat recipe, it is sweet coconut rice prepared during Narli Poornima. This Valentine special - Sweet rice is infused with Mango pulp and coconut milk. I

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-66922036477337023092011-02-13T23:23:00.000-05:002011-02-13T23:26:41.576-05:00

Flowers are nature's beautiful creation. Glimpse of flowers mesmerizes every human being.  I strongly believe that flowers enhance peace,  love and positive energy in the home and there by stimulate emotional and physical healing. I love to secure a little spot in the home with fresh flower vase. Here in USA we have beautiful choice of fresh flowers available in grocery shops...just spending four

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-65945699330339192892011-01-28T12:51:00.012-05:002011-02-01T04:37:49.270-05:00

Today Morning I was to cook something for husbands tiffin and breakfast. I had two left over Methi Parathas which were turned a bit dry because I did not pack them neatly in cling wrap. I thought about phodnichi Poli , a typical Maharashtrian delight which is made with left over rotis. Also Gujarati people have similar recipe called Vaghareli Roti, so based on these recipes I made this quick

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-40190812789583936442011-01-13T13:51:00.003-05:002011-02-01T04:34:19.611-05:00

Today made sesame chikki for for Makar Sankranti with some variation. I  mixed black and regular sesame seeds and used brown Candy instead of regular jaggery. Chikki / Brittles  got nice crunchy/chewy  texture. I had picked this Brown Candy pack from Asian Grocery store and it looks just like our Desi jaggery..also for the first time I used light corn syrup, it gave smooth binding and shiny glaze

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-74772206591379011682011-01-02T21:41:00.569-05:002011-04-13T00:00:33.732-04:00

New years first Sunday, I prepared simple soul food for lunch. Lentil-Grain fusion curry was made with combination of whole Masoor Dal (Whole Red Lentil) and  Buckwheat groats, for side veggies I cooked Kerala style cabbage thoran and carrot salad with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoyed with hot rotis and fluffy par boiled rice. It was simple yet very satisfying lunch. Note - Published on 12th April

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-13976929417235859202010-12-29T22:03:00.022-05:002011-01-11T04:31:14.132-05:00

On 25th and 26th December-2010, my city experienced the first white Christmas  in more than 60 years. It started to snow on 25th night and by 26th December afternoon  we got  8 inches of snow. City got covered under thick, fluffy blanket of snow...entire nature got transformed with  beautiful glimpses of winter landscapes. Enjoy the  immense beauty  of  this  rare white  Christmas day by

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-56539544573162817852010-12-25T21:14:00.003-05:002011-01-11T04:23:00.530-05:00

Warm Christmas  cheers all around city brings very good feeling in heart..it is time that you see lot of love, sharing, giving spirits. Weather is very cold and predictions are made for white Christmas in the city. I decided to bake small batch of simple butter cookies with cardamom and nutmeg flavor. Cookies tasted delicious and aroma of cardamom and nutmeg was very intriguing. I have followed 

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-82948577902503677632010-12-25T00:10:00.000-05:002010-12-25T00:10:25.631-05:00

Wishing all my readers, followers, visitors a Warm and  Happy Christmas & Peaceful..Prosperous..Healthy New Year. May peace prevail in all times and all places.   _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-44377700521034515822010-12-12T18:00:00.006-05:002010-12-13T03:17:14.754-05:00

Friday 10th December, Since morning I kept delaying my bank visit..around 4.30 evening suddenly  I left home. Bank is just one mile away from home, I finished my work in five minutes and headed towards home...Sun was setting and I witnessed a beautiful intriguing sky splash...I do often see unique splashes of clouds and sky but this one was extremely catchy...and worth capturing...I quickly made

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-50520201272019837232010-12-07T13:18:00.524-05:002011-01-11T03:48:16.771-05:00

After making this first eggless cake, today I tried another eggless cake without using Maida (all purpose flour), combination of  wheat and rice flour is used. I generously  enriched cake with  Akrod (walnut), Apricots and golden raisins. Coconut milk was used along with regular milk to form the Cake batter. Baked cake looked rustic and  traditional, it  got nice dense, a bit crumby  texture and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-65267711399341724542010-12-05T12:15:00.010-05:002010-12-14T13:25:54.498-05:00

Saturday, 4th December mother nature blessed our city with  seasons first snow flurries  which left over an inch thick fluffy accumulation of snow. May be we will get 3-4 times more snow in this winter season. This was perfect dose of snow because within few hours it stopped snowing and by night roads were clear for travel, schools didn't close, every one was back to work next morning. Around

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-26250996070734620222010-11-20T23:40:00.190-05:002011-01-11T03:59:31.499-05:00

For Weekend meals,  my family always  crave for some non-veg spicy curry. I had some chicken thighs and breast pieces in refrigerator. For a change, I decided to make chicken curry in pressure cooker. It  cuts down cooking time and brings intense curry flavor. I gave less stress on Garam masala, increased Corriander and cumin proportions, added little coconut milk. This turned out very delicious

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-37331024562329819922010-11-13T22:00:00.005-05:002010-11-30T00:43:25.526-05:00

In Indian cooking Split moong Dal with skin  is well known for its easy to digest quality. It cooks quickly and adapts to various recipes like Curry,  Usal, Dosa, Vada, Khichadi. I gave slight sour twist by adding Tomatillo. No garam masla is used in this curry. All ingredientes and herbs together bring nice green tone to this nutritious Mung Dal curry. Scroll down to enjoy beautiful glimpses of

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-56611144905639485362010-11-05T18:02:00.005-04:002010-11-06T01:45:34.055-04:00

Wishing all my followers and readers  a very Happy Deepavali & prosperous new year blessed with peace, wealth and good health. This year I made small Rangoli...it is  very relaxing experience to draw and fill colors in Rangoli and more joy is to watch it glow in oil Diyas of Deepavali...Enjoy the pictures.

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-34123526707295801722010-10-22T02:11:00.000-04:002010-10-22T02:11:37.153-04:00

I live in a small townhome surrounded with small size lawn and wooded patch. It is wonderful  healing experience to live so close to the nature. Every year around spring season variety of  mushrooms pop up after good rainfall...This year we had very poor rain fall and we are facing drought conditions. Since spring following  two three varieties of mushrooms were spotted  in lawn and around the

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-49370888291397088842010-10-17T13:25:00.025-04:002010-10-29T04:40:07.925-04:00

On an auspicious day of  Vijayadashami, Wishing all my readers and followers a very Happy Dussehra blessed with Peace, Joy, Prosperity & Good health. Today's festive sweet dish was Potato Sheera. It is easy to prepare and has delicious, rich , mithai like taste. Ingredients :- 2 Cups heaped - boiled and  finely mashed Potato. 1 Cup - Sugar 3 Tb.spoon - Butter or Ghee 5-6 Cardamom pods -

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-52184854774652418282010-10-12T10:33:00.012-04:002010-10-29T04:40:45.754-04:00

Simple vegetable stir-fry with fresh green beans is one of my favorite routine subji in meals. It is  very easy to make and packed with natural flavor of beans,carrots and green peas. This Stir-Fry is spiced with green chilies and flavored with curry leaves, cilantro and fresh coconut. Ingredients :- 2.5 Cups Green beans - finely chop  in 1 cm size pieces. 2 carrots ( 7-8 inch long ) diced in 1

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-87423720162593458622010-09-10T14:13:00.026-04:002010-09-23T00:20:19.003-04:00

Cooking something interesting out of leftover food always strike spontaneously. I had one cup left over cooked samo rice from Janmashtami dinner. First I thought to eat with some curry..later thought to use it up in dosa batter..but imaginations ended on idea of making Bhajia/fritters/Vada out of left over samo rice. Fritters tasted very delicious and this recipe is worth repeating again and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-74802943306032571832010-09-02T02:47:00.001-04:002010-09-24T02:51:28.381-04:00

Shri krishna Janmashtami celebration has always been a very special festival for Mumbai people. Ritual of breaking Dahi Handi is a unique feature of Mumbai Gokulashtami celebration . Every year in Mumbai I celebrated this festival with great enthusiasm. One of my favorite part of this festival was eating DahiKala. It is prasad made with mix of poha, yogurt, pickles, peanuts, fresh

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-46657618096174199052010-08-23T14:04:00.011-04:002010-08-25T01:44:08.728-04:00

Wishing all my readers and visitors a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Onam.I love to celebrate Onam - Harvest festival of Kerala. It is very cheerful and stimulating experience. Onam Sadhya is one of the distinct feature of this festival. It is a delightful platter comprising of flavor packed curries, subjis, chutneys, pickle, chips, fruits and payasam.I tried to cook few delicacies of Onam

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-86989319360515417932010-08-06T00:30:00.033-04:002010-08-25T01:47:45.051-04:00

Chayote is my favorite vegetable in regular cooking.It has mild natural sweet taste and crunchy texture.I add chayote in sambar,lentil Curries, veggie stir fries, salads, paratha also make Chayote Fritters .Today prepared Raita with Chayote to go with Multi-Grain Methi paratha...very easy and refreshing recipe .Chayote blends very well with yogurt and herbs.Try this tempting Chayote

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-7046286401139000862010-07-31T23:30:00.014-04:002010-09-08T03:19:55.487-04:00

Weekly visits to Indian grocery stores are always refreshing for me...you get to see Indian crowd...either just exchange smiles or get into some conversation, my favorite subject to talk is - How do you cook this subji? I have always found that people are very kind and generous to talk on food subject...recipes that you get here are most authentic. This Gavar subji recipe was shared by one

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-82586420539845716182010-07-21T10:17:00.018-04:002010-09-08T03:15:46.779-04:00

This is quick, tasty, easy to prepare spicy prawn stir-fry. Mix of three whole spices, dry red chilies with generous amount of fresh coconut and fresh cilantro...gave nice aromatic and spicy kick to this prawn stir-fry.Ingredients :-1 pound cleaned and deveined prawns ( 30-35 count- marinate lightly with salt)1 large onion - cut lengthwise1/2 Cup fresh grated coconut (tightly packed)1 Cup

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-36976067574582224602010-07-13T23:59:00.038-04:002010-07-26T03:24:26.650-04:00

Friday evenings, cravings are always high for something extra-special , extra-spicy Non-Veg curry. I mixed different chilies + exotic spices and made this extra vibrant spicy Chicken curry. Mix and Match of two mexican chilies with Indian Byadagi chili gave nice red , fiery tone and heat to the curry, addition of Kabab chini and Nagkesar spice kicked in bold aroma. Tiny organic fingerling

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-6143828223052332782010-07-10T21:32:00.029-04:002010-07-15T00:57:17.055-04:00

Simple sattvik subzi for routine meals, no spices...simple mustard tempering and seasoned with green chilies,coconut,fresh cilantro. This Dosakai (vellerika) and pickling cucumber subzi is perfect for summertime meals , spread of tender cooked Green split peas in subzi makes it more filling and tasty. Enjoying this subzi with flax seed enriched organic flour roti is great nourishing

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-38192601044844844902010-06-20T18:59:00.028-04:002010-06-29T04:10:41.400-04:00

Payasam/Kheer is a very vital traditional Indian dessert. This dish is a must for various festive celebrations and feasts. I love to cook different Kheers with some twists and variations. Today I made Rice Payasam and enriched it with Quinoa. It blends well with rice and brings more balanced texture to Kheer, generous quantity of cashews,Pistachios and bold aroma of cardamom and saffron

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-52115291081226931092010-06-13T20:14:00.012-04:002010-06-18T21:10:24.826-04:00

I always stock variety of canned beans for ease of preparation and to add more nutrition and variety to Lentil-Bean-Grain based dishes...even adding them to sabjis, greens, soups brings lot of enrichment. Today I made black eyed peas curry for dinner..to make it more nutritious and interesting I added Dudhi/Lauki (Bottle gourd) and added one raw Green tomato to bring little sourness. All

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-11314109631739278782010-06-07T22:10:00.020-04:002010-06-14T00:00:22.651-04:00

This is simple and satisfying Quinoa-Millet soup, flavored with ginger-garlic-cilantro and spiced up with green chilies. Cauliflower and carrots made it more appealing and enhanced nutrition,texture.Ingredients :-1/4 Cup Millet - picked and rinsed3/4 cup Quinoa-picked and rinsed(check for tiny stones even it is pre-washed) 1/2 Cup peanut size cauliflower florets 1/2 Cup diced carrots1 Medium

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-62772762681486374192010-06-03T08:31:00.010-04:002010-06-13T02:02:27.837-04:00

It was a pleasant evening , cravings were perfect to enjoy some deep fried snack...Cup full sprouted Moong Beans were laying in my fridge..so decided to make Bhajia/Pakora by adding them to regular Bhajia batter. I made delicious chat chutney without Tamarind and Dates. You must try this quick chutney made from Jamaican Jerk sauce which tastes as tempting as Sweet-Sour Chat chutney.For

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-70475359871659346242010-05-21T08:50:00.004-04:002010-05-21T10:39:26.271-04:00

Saturday I enjoyed Bangada (Ayala) lunch. I had three frozen Bangda/Mackerel fish from Indian grocery store so decided to part them in curry and tava fry. This curry is cooked based on Gassi style curries served in Mumbai restaurants. Also cooked bhindi subzi with vinegar dash and enjoyed this with Kerala Matta rice. It turned out very yummy lunch combination.Bangada GhassiIngredients for

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-1537911504432446762010-05-13T23:57:00.016-04:002010-05-14T02:54:55.019-04:00

I fired up my grill for this Summer, started with grilling some Prawns/Shrimp and mushrooms.I have Weber's portable Charcoal Grill. I used charcoal briquettes and few dried coconut shells for heat, coconut shells enhanced smokey flavor. I marinated shrimp and mushrooms with salt, red chili power, turmeric and grilled them on Skewers. Enjoy following pictures captured while grilling...Happy

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-40381419150451309992010-04-29T20:13:00.049-04:002010-06-29T03:12:01.331-04:00

Kerala style curries make a very rich addition to routine meals, they are simple yet very flavorful. This curry is prepared with combination of pumpkin and raw banana by adding minimal spices and fresh coconut paste...all together it blends into Great tasting vegetarian curry.Ingredients:-2 Cups - Raw Banana or Plantain - Peel the skin and cut into 1-inch cubes.2 Cups - Pumpkin - Peel the

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-18764213346258622062010-04-15T16:14:00.021-04:002010-04-30T02:33:49.158-04:00

This year for Vishu celebration I missed setting Vishu Kanni . I am marking this auspicious day with Payasam recipe based on Chakkari Pongal.I found a packet of Peeled Green wheat in one of our local convenience store...It is wheat without skin...I added Chana Dal , Brown rice and made this fusion Payasam/ Kheer. Freshly made Ghee from unsalted butter gave nice aroma and taste.Ingredients :-

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-44433999068540825772010-04-14T13:28:00.038-04:002010-06-18T21:06:25.794-04:00

Palak Paneer is traditional Indian dish, popularly relished in Indian parties and restaurants. Today I cooked it slightly different by maintaining partly coarse texture..generally this dish is very mild but I spiced it up by adding few spices and made it hot with green chilies.Ingredients :-Fresh Spinach - 1o oz packet (284 gm) or one bunch of spinach.Paneer - 12 oz. (340 gm )- griddle roast

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-70059639567474815222010-03-31T23:53:00.009-04:002010-04-01T01:29:39.637-04:00

Few days back I cooked spicy and creamy Mushroom Matar, Today is another version..this time I didn't use cream and made it more spicier with Malvan Spice zest made from scratch. Try this if you want to enjoy intensely spiced aromatic Matar+Mushroom curry.Ingredients :-300g button mushrooms (12-15) - cut each mushroom in 4 pieces.1 Cup frozen green peas.2 medium size onions - one cut length wise

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-88710306231107830552010-03-25T21:10:00.041-04:002010-04-13T01:45:45.103-04:00

Today griddle fried chicken thighs with worcestershire sauce marination prepared with generous quantity of ginger,garlic,green chilies,red chili powder . This sauce has nice tangy,bitter,mild sweet,salty taste and acidic aroma . It infused well with other marination ingredients and helped to enhance taste and texture of chicken and made caramelized marination mixture more zesty.Ingredients

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-4903071998838935822010-03-13T17:25:00.026-05:002010-03-16T00:22:24.420-04:00

Today I enjoyed baking eggless cake without using All purpose flour (Maida). There was no exact recipe to follow...Singada flour was in mind...with mix and match of few Indian ingredients at end, I baked mini eggless cakes in heart shaped muffin pan. Lovely cardamom aroma, light delicate texture of singada flour, dates, pistachios all together gave very delicious Indian twist to the

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-59217941157323768602010-03-07T21:30:00.022-05:002010-03-12T00:15:29.526-05:00

Pressure cooker is one of my best gadget in the kitchen. I cook lentil/bean dals, soups, sambar, non-veg curries, rice, pulav, biryani, Kheer in pressure cooker. Today I cooked delicious Dal with Whole masoor and green split peas. This combination was easy and quick One-Pot-Recipe. I made slight variation to this Dal by giving kalonji tadka (nigella seeds), it infused curry with nice aroma. I

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-40108784199877885952010-02-25T00:31:00.015-05:002010-03-12T00:17:35.061-05:00

Quinoa is an ancient grain like seed. It is gluten free source of good protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Quinoa is easy to cook, tastes great and has nice unique texture..it excellently pairs with various cooking dishes. I have used Quinoa in mix lentil-grain curries and it perfectly cooks like any other grain, brings great enrichment and texture to curry. This is my first attempt in making

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-39237185159236889402010-02-14T21:00:00.013-05:002010-03-12T00:18:38.546-05:00

Today I cooked Bing Cherry and Beetroot salad for dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day...preparation was simple. Bright color and fruity taste made a sweet addition in Valentine's Day spirits.Ingredients :-1/2 Cup Beetroot - cut half inch long in broad stick pattern.15-20 Bing cherries - cut each cherry lengthwise into 4 pieces, discard seeds.1/2 Cup carrots - cut in mixed shapes of - discs, half

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-20234252416779312542010-02-12T21:27:00.012-05:002010-03-12T00:19:14.201-05:00

Today is auspicious day of Mahashivratri and I wish all my readers and visitors a Happy and Blessed MahaShivratri. I wanted to avoid eating regular food so today's dinner menu was Vrat/Fasting food, I cooked Vari (Samo) rice, Sabudana Khichdi, Fingerling potatoes with Jeera Tadka, potato+Sabudana porridge...with very few ingredients and light efforts very satisfying satvik dinner was cooked and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-49799798611946664152010-02-12T16:34:00.016-05:002010-05-14T03:09:20.749-04:00

Cauliflower is my favorite routinely cooked subzi. It is quick to cook and gives wonderful vibrant dish if cooked in combination with other veggies. Cauliflower+ Potatoes is very popular combination in Indian cooking.Today I replaced potatoes with Tapioca and it blended well with cauliflower, added lima beans,carrots and green peas to bring color and varied texture. I mildly flavored it with

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-4259080864619337292010-02-01T15:14:00.036-05:002010-03-12T00:20:30.061-05:00

Mother nature blessed NC with 7 inches of snow over weekend. Cold temperatures and beautiful atmosphere around home temped me to cook something spicy and rustic. This chicken curry is out come of those temptations. I didn't use any Masala powder except turmeric powder but used Combination of Khada Masala (whole spices), also avoided any grinding process..all ingredients are either cut/chopped or

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-56234719417171679492010-01-23T00:30:00.019-05:002010-01-30T02:24:33.376-05:00

Today made Tindora/Todli subzi for dinner with little variation to routine stir-fry method. I used ginger+garlic+green chilies for zest and coated tindora with thick coarse gravy of fresh coconut and cilantro.This method retained light green color of tindora and subzi tasted delicious.Ingredients:Tindora - 25-30, Cut each tindora lengthwise into 4 pieces.1 medium size onion finely chopped.1

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-65080705317573419152010-01-21T15:27:00.020-05:002010-01-30T02:25:26.208-05:00

Tomatillos look like raw green Tomatoes. It is popularly used in Mexican cuisine for making salsa and sauces.They are covered with thin paper like skin and has sweet and sour taste. I made this simple Tomatillo stir-fry by adding some lima beans.This is quick and yummy recipe for routine cooking.Ingredients :-5-6 Tomatillos cut in 1/2 inch pieces. (2 cups)1/2 cup frozen lima beans.1 medium size

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-61791759781317266852010-01-14T14:37:00.017-05:002010-01-15T23:36:35.551-05:00

Wishing all my readers/visitors a Very Happy Makar Sankranti....May the rays of Sun fill your life with Good fortune, Happiness and Health.Ingredients:-1 cup Sesame seeds.1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts.1 cup grated jaggery.2 Tb.spoon honey.1 Tb.spoon butter/ghee.Method of making chikki :-Heat heavy bottom pot. Add 1/2 tb.spoon butter..as butter melts add Sesame seeds and walnut.. roast on medium

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-31497877529623956282010-01-13T14:19:00.029-05:002010-03-01T16:49:02.534-05:00

Mushrooms have great nutritional value, they are rich in vitamins,minerals and protein.I enjoy them lot because of juicy texture and an earthy taste.Mushrooms adapt very well with different Indian dishes.Matar (green peas) and mushoom is very popular combination in Indian cooking. This mushroom curry has nice blend of Masala and Cream.Ingredients :-12-15 white button mushrooms - cut each

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-13542913223673577432010-01-10T19:35:00.029-05:002010-01-14T00:03:35.438-05:00

Godacha Sheera, also called as Kesari or Halwa... is one of the delicious Indian sweet dish. I gave slight twist to the recipe by using coarse ground wheat flour..added flax seed meal and used generous quantity of raisins and almonds...coarse texture of wheat flour and mild slimy texture of flax seed meal made this Sheera more rustic and yummy.Ingredients :-1 Cup coarse ground wheat flour. ( used

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-5811126518253098802010-01-09T02:14:00.004-05:002010-01-10T01:21:22.101-05:00

I enjoy making different types of flavored, enriched rotis/Parathas. This time I used variety of veggies and made wholesome veggie packed parathas. They are quite easy to make and with good food processor you can save time and efforts, any variation of veggies work well for these parathas.Ingredients :-5 cup whole wheat flour.1/2 Cup Bajra flour (Millet)1/4 cup flaxseed meal.1 cup spinach1/2

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-51147712968444264442010-01-06T00:25:00.050-05:002010-02-03T14:11:45.000-05:00

Few days back I had one guest coming over for dinner who had sugar restrictions in diet.I don't wanted to skip dessert so made Sheera/Kesari with Truvia .This is zero calorie natural sweetener recently emerged in market.I tried to enhance this recipe by adding wheat flour, flax seed meal and good amount of nuts ,raisins .Sheera tasted delicious without sugar. Once in a while this can be

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-31071660232745887772010-01-01T21:04:00.007-05:002010-01-02T18:40:33.171-05:00

Thanks to all of my readers and visitorsYou all have a great cooking and relishing moments....

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-84962259773683188032009-12-31T17:50:00.019-05:002010-01-03T00:49:31.811-05:00

Today for lunch, I cooked this "Beans-Combination" curry in Kerala style. Mixing fresh green beans with butter beans in coconut gravy made delicious wholesome Curry.Ingredients:- 2 1/2 Cup fresh cut Green beans - cut into 2 inch long pieces.1 Can of butter beans (14 Oz) - rinsed thoroughly under running water.1 Cup - finely chopped onions.1 Cup fresh grated coconut.1 Tb.spoon corriander seeds -

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-17408704688916407162009-12-28T18:34:00.030-05:002010-01-01T00:53:36.383-05:00

I enjoy cooking variety of chicken curries......slight variation of spices, herbs and cooking procedure brings completely different taste to the curry.This curry is cooked in routine manner with use of Ancho Chiles to bring deep dark glow.......other variation is - use of single whole Star anise and home ground spice blend. I maintained thick rich gravy which complimented well with dark glow of

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-86619925000275562792009-12-25T19:27:00.009-05:002009-12-25T23:33:00.228-05:00

Wish you all lots of love, Peace, joy and happiness Merry Christmas

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-49605696407438870162009-12-24T20:25:00.030-05:002010-02-08T03:07:39.559-05:00

Pathiri/Patthiri is a delicacy from Northern Kerala region. During my last year visit to Kannur in India, I had an opportunity to make pathiri in my in-laws home. Simple ingredients, little tedious method but delicious end result. We made deep fried type pathiri.Fusion of fennel seeds,onion,coconut with rice flour brings distinctive aroma and taste to pathiri . Below I am adding few pictures

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-82983087555604782232009-12-22T10:26:00.012-05:002009-12-23T23:27:45.225-05:00

It was time to go for grocery. My refrigerator was low and odd on vegetable stock. There was small piece of pumpkin, one capsicum, and one snake gourd in refrigerator. I mixed them all and made this combination subzi. Since all veggies were sweetish in nature, I used green chilies to add hot zest and generous use of fresh cilantro infused fresh aroma.Ingredients:-2 Cup pumpkin cubes- 1 inch size

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-58291360137019893932009-12-13T19:15:00.012-05:002009-12-15T03:26:13.356-05:00

Sabudana is Tapioca pearl/pearl sago.It is mostly enjoyed during various fasting days.Today I made Sabudana Kheer in milk...nice thick texture with softened pearls..tasted delicious with saffron , cardamom aroma.Ingredients:-1 Cup Sabudana - ( check below- for soaking procedure)5 Cup 2% Fat Milk. (You may need 1 more cup to adjust desired consistency)1/3 Cup Sugar.2 pinch saffron.8-10 cardamom -

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-88170333153786253052009-12-07T15:20:00.037-05:002009-12-17T01:10:42.879-05:00

This hearty & nourishing spicy lentil curry is perfect dish to warm up cold winter days. French Green lentils look like whole masoor dal except they are dark greenish, blackish in color. They cook quick and look very tempting with their tiny flat round shape. Seasoned with ginger, garlic and few spices makes this curry aromatic and delicious.Ingredients:-1 Cup French Green lentil - Soak in water

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-85301129181517425582009-12-01T10:39:00.023-05:002009-12-09T06:28:29.986-05:00

Recently I got locally produced tender long chinese eggplants in Indian Grocery store. They looked adorable with their vibrant white,green and purple color. When I cooked them first time, its original color vibrancy was lost, so second time I decided to cook them differently. I griddle fried and cooked them open which helped to maintain its skin color and texture. Seasoning of kalonji, ajwain

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-12155890138249548012009-11-25T21:08:00.012-05:002009-11-29T23:44:13.486-05:00

This is one of the quick, colorful and wholesome stir-fry for routine cooking. It is packed with natural flavors and taste of Radish, tomato, green peas. Garam Masala, Ginger and green chili brings good zest and scrambled Tofu texture adds richness.Ingredients :-10-12 Red Radish - chop out both ends and cut into thin disc shape. (2 cups)200 gm Firm Tofu. (remove excess liquid from tofu by gently

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-25602657044560352942009-11-09T13:42:00.021-05:002009-11-15T00:49:09.544-05:00

I don't regularly cook radish but this recipe is an attempt to bring more interesting taste to radish subzi. Recently I found two mexican ingredients which can get well complemented in Indian cooking. First one is Milpero Tomatillo which is miniature version of Tomatillo. They have good sour taste. Second is Guajillo dry chili, these are very mild and have great bright red color. Milpero and

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-89346892672970855352009-11-03T12:58:00.030-05:002009-11-10T16:24:20.346-05:00

This Potato Shrimp Masala I cooked during my recent stay in Mumbai. My kitchen was not well equipped, few times I managed to cook with available ingredients. I had one cup cleaned small shrimps and two potatoes, few spices which I had brought to enrich my spice rack in USA. I decided to add few unique spices - Tirphal, Dagad phool and Nagkesar and addition of some finely ground coconut paste

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-24188100729104855242009-10-28T14:07:00.008-04:002009-11-26T23:38:56.868-05:00

This is one of the simplest combination beans stir-fry for everyday cooking. Very few ingredients and fresh beans brings true bean flavors and makes this stir-fry very tasty and nutritious.Ingredients :1 1/2 Cup cut Long beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)2 Cup cut green beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)1 small size onion

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-44121074492020107062009-10-13T23:44:00.018-04:002009-10-23T00:37:01.830-04:00

Kadhai Paneer is most popular rich subzi dish on the menu of Indian restaurants. I always wondered why there has to be Capsicum when they call it Kadhai Paneer. I googled it and found that no recipe is without addition of capsicum. Here is my version of Kadhai Paneer. I cooked with almost no gravy to bring more taste of Paneer and Capsicum in each bite.Ingredients :250 gm paneer - 2 Cups griddle

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-20224104337247572232009-10-13T00:19:00.009-04:002009-10-23T01:11:00.371-04:00

Shrikhand is a creamy and delicious healthy dessert from Maharashtra/Gujrat. I made this Kesar and Pista flavored Shrikhand for Dussehra.Ingredients :-32 Ounce (2 pound) Yogurt.1 Cup confectioners sugar (adjust as per taste).3 pinches of Saffron strands (Soak in 1Tb.spoon hot milk for 2 hours).8-10 cardamom - make fine powder.1/4 Cup Pistachio - Pick only bright green colored pistachio and remove

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-89018690862885438522009-09-26T22:19:00.022-04:002009-10-23T00:42:29.799-04:00

Kanda Bhajia is very popular Indian appetizer and tea time snack, one of the highly craved snack during wet and cold weather. I made little variation to regular onion bhajia by adding tofu cubes and served them with green chutney made with sweet relish, fresh cilantro and green chilies.Ingredients :-2 cup Besan.1/2 cup Water.2 large size Onion cut lengthwise.1 cup chopped fresh Cilantro.9-10

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-25663790653531745692009-09-08T17:49:00.018-04:002009-09-24T04:16:29.454-04:00

This chicken curry is made with slight variation. Whole spices are used with fresh coconut milk. Combination of whole spices bring unique aroma and chicken drumettes enhance the taste in curry.Ingredients : 10-12 Chicken Drumettes - (1.5 pounds) Marinate in salt for 20 minutes. (You may use other chicken parts cut into small pieces)1 Medium sized Onion - cut lengthwise.1 Tb.spoon cooking oil.1

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-64899453291628269472009-06-18T14:05:00.030-04:002009-09-15T02:25:11.871-04:00

This is one of the most quickest, simplest and healthy subzi. Instead of eating complete raw veggies as Salad, I prefer them to quick semi-stir-fry with curry leaves, green chillies, Jeera, fresh grated coconut & lots of cilantro. This combination of Carrot+Chayote+Radish works very well. Cutting them in julienne style makes subzi look very appealing.Ingredients:-1 1/2 Cup julienne style cut

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-10579571710422341222009-05-26T01:15:00.016-04:002009-09-15T02:26:25.676-04:00

Today I cooked this simple Tindora stir-fry. There were no proper veggies in refrigerator , just few Tindoras, two raw Tomatoes and few Spring Onions ,this prompted me to make a combination stir-fry. Result was vibrantly delicious stir-fry.Ingredients :-25-30 Tindora - Slightly chop both ends , make one vertical cut in center and make total four length wise pieces of each tindora. (Boil in

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-53312224419886976082009-05-25T01:29:00.047-04:002009-11-01T08:23:40.816-05:00

Today I was to cook Tindora but with restrictions of not using Onion, Ginger, Garlic. I don't wanted to cook simple stir-fried Tindora, so came up with this rich thick gravy based subzi of Tindora. I used minimum Garam Masala but generously added Sesame, Peanuts and poppy seeds.Ingredients :- 40-50 Tindora - Slit each Tindora into two pieces by giving one center vertical cut . 2 Medium size

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-90592689474136445402009-05-13T02:06:00.036-04:002009-09-15T02:27:36.455-04:00

Parval is very uniquely textured vegetable with thick and rough skin. In USA, Parval is very expensive vegetable, sold for above 6$ per pound. Parval tastes great even with simplest stir fry style preparation. Try this vegetable to have change from same routine subzi cooking.In rural parts of Bihar people make chutney with Parval. It is very simple to make and brings strong zesty pickle like

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-72539898028641996972009-04-26T03:57:00.003-04:002009-09-15T02:29:58.795-04:00

This is simple tomato curry cooked in Kerala style.I have used raw and ripe tomato.Raw tomato brings perfect sourness and together it makes curry more appealing and tasty.Ingredients:-1 large size ripe Tomato - cut in big chunks1 large size raw Tomato - cut in big chunks1 medium size onion cut in thin long length.1 Tb.spoon cooking oil1/2 T.spoon mustard seeds2-3 whole dry red chillies.1/4

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-22122860300897660872009-04-14T03:15:00.008-04:002009-04-16T06:38:45.297-04:00

Let this be a delightful year, filled with Happiness,Prosperity & Good Health.On the Vishu Day enjoyed this dinner.Rice and Olan (Winter melon and black eyed peas cooked in coconut gravy and yogurt)Green beans Thoran.Cabbage Thoran.Plantain & Tapioca subzi.Payasam made with Moong Dal & Barley.

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-67098261741799712472009-03-09T02:28:00.004-04:002009-10-26T20:44:11.140-04:00

Kidney beans are one of my favorite beans. I like its bold red color and rich taste.One can make quick spicy Rajma curry with canned kidney beans.This is very simple recipe. Making quick spice blend from scratch makes this curry more zesty.Ingredients:-One large onion - finely chopped.5 Garlic cloves - finely minced.1 inch piece of ginger - finely minced.1 Tbspoon cooking oil.2 Medium size tomato

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-9445106621035827112009-02-19T19:23:00.007-05:002009-02-19T20:31:55.319-05:00

I look forward to cook something special on the weekends because of more relaxed mood, more time in hand and triggered cravings.This dinner I cooked on Friday night.Roti.King mackerel fry.Baigan bharta.King mackerel curry.Yellow pepper subzi with paneer.Sheera with some twist -(addition of fresh coconut and poppy seeds)

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-1054553444694937252009-02-11T00:52:00.005-05:002009-02-11T02:54:19.694-05:00

This chicken curry is cooked with Kala Masala made from scratch. Spices Proportions that I took worked well to create extra aromatic Kala Masala Blend. Addition of Kabab Chini enhances aroma.Spices For Kala Masala :-2 Tablespoon Fennel seeds15 cloves4 Kabab chini1 Tablespoon Shahajeera2 Bay leaf ( 3 inch long)2 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds25-30 whole black pepper3 Cardamom1 inch stick of cinnamonMix

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-69440546510053826022009-01-14T12:41:00.011-05:002009-11-10T13:32:31.961-05:00

Cooking something extra and special on festival days or just any day when cooking spirits are high.Spinach subzi with extra garlicRajma+Blackeyed peas Dal.Kadhi with Chayote.Sesame Laddu.RotiNovember 8th 2009Rice topped with Kerala style raw banana curry.Fried curd chiliRadish and Black eye pea curry with Milpero (miniature tomatillo), dry guajillo chilies.Cabbage+Carrot Thoran.Spicy Cat fish

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8849459776312945344.post-34434438720761674652009-01-12T00:10:00.002-05:002009-01-12T00:15:19.160-05:00

This is an extra spicy mutton curry infused with special blend of Indian spices. I have replaced corriander seeds with fresh cilantro and Cumin with Shahajira...added Kabab chini. This little change created very aromatic Mutton curry.Ingredients :-1) 2 Pound mutton. (Goat Meat)2) One Large and One medium size onion-chopped.3) 2 inch piece of ginger - minced.4) 12 Cloves of Garlic - minced.5)

Ushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02088490681074977671noreply@blogger.com2