It was a cold morning and the last thing I wanted to do was get up from the warmth of my bed. I could stay under the covers for ever. But that was not to be. I have two monster alarm clocks at home, a six-year-old and the other one, his dad. While I must…
Barley Chakkara Pongal {Rustic Indian Pudding}
In Indian cuisine, food is not just material for sustenance; it is a celebration, a way of life. I wrote about Pongal in this post a couple of weeks back. One of the must-have dishes that day is this easy one-pot dessert also called pongal. The word “pongal” literally means “to boil over“. In Indian…
Mom’s Spicy Chicken Roast
This is the most indulgent, lip-smackingly delicious chicken preparation I’ve ever shared on the blog. It is an old family favorite. In fact, mom prepares chicken this way most of the time. Chicken roast refers to a method of cooking rather than any special recipe or ingredient list. It is different from a regular chicken…
Green Gram Curry {Kerala Cherupayar Curry}
Never again will I jinx myself by complaining how warm it is in December. Only to be followed by the worst cold front ever over New Year’s weekend. It is so cold now, my feet are always cold, I feel as lazy as can be. And now I sound like a nagging old lady! So,…
Puran Poli {Sweet Lentil Stuffed Flatbreads}
Food blogging is a funny business. Sometimes you get so caught up in the whole “Will it look good on the blog?”, “How well can I style and photograph it?” trap. It is a shame really. This means that many gem of a recipe gets shoved away for not being photogenic enough. Like these sweet…
Christmas Baking: Nankhatai {Indian Shortbread Cookies}
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads… (Clement…
Blackened Spiced Roasted Chicken & Our Indo-American Thanksgiving
If you live stateside and celebrate Thanksgiving, I m sure you passed the last couple of days in a sort of food-induced stupor, right? I know we did. We had a lovely time, even though it was just the three of us at home this time. We’ve been lucky to be invited to a real…
Gulab Phirni {Creamy Rose Flavored Rice Pudding}
If you are looking for something sweet yet light with a hint of the exotic, then this dessert is for you. That’s exactly what I craved one day. I knew phirni fit the bill perfectly. Phirni or firni is an Indian dessert from the Punjab region. It is the more exotic cousin of a traditional…
Doodh Peda {Indian Milk Fudge}
My absolute favorite Indian sweet is the gulab jamun. Doodh (milk) pedas come a close second. I’ve always made gulab jamuns from a ready-made mix and bought pedas from the store. Never tried making them from scratch. I find that gulab jamuns made from ready-to-make dough mixes are actually pretty good. So I decided to…
Shakarkandi-Sooji Halwa {Indian Sweet Potato & Semolina Pudding}
The one good thing about the approaching winter is that there are no dearth of celebrations, festival and holidays. I have vowed to make a dessert every evening from now until Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. Make that until Thanksgiving. Okay, maybe not everyday, but every other day then. Or at least twice a…
Bhapa Doi Or Baked Yogurt Pudding {With Pomegranate Coulis}
Imagine this. A dessert so luscious and so delightful, that you savor the taste and texture long after it’s all gone. And even better, what if I told it takes less than 5 minutes of hands-on time? Meet bhapa doi, a traditional Bengali dessert which is nothing but a sweet yogurt pudding. Bengali cuisine is…
Paal Kozhukattai {Rice Flour Dumplings In A Coconut Milk Pudding}
Some recipes are so close to the heart, they really don’t need a special occasion to be enjoyed. This is one such recipe. It is a classic, rustic, soul-satisfying dish from Tamil Nadu, also found in parts of Kerala. My mom makes this the best and I have practiced it over the years to sort…
