Chettinad cuisine from Tamil Nadu is known for its spicy and delectable creations. There are many variations of roasted coconut curries in the South, but the Chettinad one is special because of the use of a host of aromatic spices. The spice list consists of dried red chilis, coriander, cumin, fennel, black pepper, cloves, cardamom…
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
I have a love-mostly hate relationship with those sweet sugar cookies thickly frosted with royal icing. Please do not get me wrong, I love desserts. But there is something annoying about the cloyingly sweet store-bought cookies. And it makes me feel so guilty afterwards. My solution is actually pretty simple. Skip the icing. Bake cookies,…
Spicy Shrimp/Prawn Roast With Cumin (Jeera)
My Facebook followers will remember my post showing you pictures of delicious curries/entrées good enough for entertaining this Holiday season. This shrimp roast is an easy to make, lip-smacking recipe from dear mom. She makes it when a simple shrimp/prawn curry or shrimp fry won’t do. It can be tricky to infuse a lot of…
Cranberry-Lime Cake
Every year I buy cranberries exactly once. I honestly do not know what to do with these tart berries other than make a sauce or relish at Thanksgiving. No one likes cranberries much at our house and this year’s seasonal buy remained untouched for a few days. And meanwhile, I was busy with Christmas preps….
Whole Wheat Quick Apple Bread {With Butterscotch Glaze}
A loaf of freshly baked apple bread is the autumn/winter equivalent of banana bread. I have often talked about my love for banana bread and my habit of tweaking the recipe every time I bake one. Just around Thanksgiving, the stores are stocked with more apple varieties than one can imagine. Everyone has a favorite…
Keema Cutlets {Indian Minced Meat Croquettes}
This week, I find myself in a peculiar sort of predicament. Whenever I sit down to draft a post, I find that I am at a loss for words. If you know me personally, you will find it weird, impossible even. I am rarely at a loss for words. But right now, I am coming…
Paneer Kofta Korma {Indian Cottage Cheese Balls In A Delicate Yogurt Sauce}
Winters are when I am at my lethargic worst. But the colder weather requires substantial sustenance too. That is when you go for the rich and filling curries and korma fits the bill perfectly. Depending on where you come from, korma can mean different things. What we call korma in South India tend to be…
Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
Thanksgiving is a beautiful all-American tradition that I really look forward to each year. Though the hubby would argue I actually look forward to the shopping extravaganza the day after, but truly, I love the concept of giving thanks for our everyday blessings. It is immensely important to instil this thanks-giving virtue in our kids…
Citrus Bars
It is almost that time of year again and I am revisiting my favorite classic dessert recipes and trying out new ones as well. I have a classic all-time favorite sweet treat to share with you today – citrus bars. Lemon bars may be the most common, but citrus bars have the combined flavors of citrus…
Pasta With Sausage And A Fresh Spinach-Cilantro-Almond Pesto
Everyone knows pesto, right? The vibrant, fresh, literally green cousin of the full-bodied marinara and the hearty alfredo. Pesto is the black sheep of the family. He makes pasta almost healthy… gasp! How dare he, right?! Pesto is really easy to make, but doesn’t exactly get the respect it deserves. Okay, I have now officially…
Roasted Cauliflower And Delicata Squash Soup
I love thick, creamy soups. And you know the best thing about certain vegetables? They are good at making soups smooth, rich and creamy without really having to add cream (and extra calories). Now, I’ll let you in on a secret. My secret ingredient in most of my soups is chicken stock. It gives this…
Herb Roasted Chicken With Vegetables
There is nothing as quintessentially western as a dinner of roast meat with a side of vegetables. Today I bring you my tried and tested method for oven-roasted chicken and vegetables. Extremely comforting and easy to put together, perfect for the cold wave hitting us right now. Just fill up a baking pan, place it…