Do you know what Balti cuisine is? I did not, till recently. It is believed to have originated around Baltistan, north of Pakistan and Kashmir, and migrated to Birmingham, where it enjoys a sort of cult status. I found a bunch of Balti style recipes in a new cookbook I got. Having never heard of…
Thai Green Chicken Curry {Served With A Spicy Couscous Pulao}
I love, love, love Thai cuisine. Not the sweetened Americanized Thai we get in some restaurants here, but rather the clean flavors of Thai food. And like everything I cook, I put my own spin on it whenever I make something Thai-spired. My absolute favorite is Thai red curry. I love the bold, spicy flavors….
Red Wine-Braised Chicken And Mushrooms {Almost Coq Au Vin}
I thought lady winter had forgotten all about us Texans. I was wrong. She just decided to pay us a late visit. Winters are hard, no doubt, even in this time and age when our homes are automatically heated with the flip of a button and our bodies are hugged by the warmth of fabric….
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…
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…
Baked Parmesan Eggplant Fingers With Cilantro Tzatziki Sauce
Here, take a closer look at these beauties. I will wait till you ogle, drool and maybe whistle at these lovely things. These are eggplant/aubergine/brinjal finger ‘fries’ – thick slices of a fresh, plump eggplant coated with shredded parmesan cheese and baked in the oven till golden crisp. Aren’t they absolutely beautiful?!! I couldn’t decide…
Mutton Biryani {Tamil Nadu Style}
I have a delicious dum biryani recipe on the blog, made by layering cooked rice and meat masala, and then slowly steaming it to meld the flavors together. In certain regions, biryani is prepared by cooking the rice, meat and various spices and herbs together, creating a richer, more colorful and spicier version. This process…
Vegetable Lo Mein
A lo mein is one of those immensely satisfying yet super simple recipes out there. And when you add a medley of colorful seasonal vegetables, you can be assured it is healthy too. I always try out different combinations of sauces and condiments while making Chinese, this time was no different. The best way to…
Homemade Spicy Red Chili & Garlic Sauce
If you love Chinese or Indo-Chinese cuisine, some kind of chili sauce is a must in your pantry. I made some of my own, but I must warn you, it is one spicy, firecracker sauce! It has the burning, lingering heat of dried red chilies combined with the smoky goodness of garlic. You can use…
Tomato, Parsley & Cottage Cheese Focaccia
There’s nothing like a challenge to get you going. Angie (The Novice Gardener), who already hosts the lovely Fiesta Friday link party, is throwing a monthly cooking challenge. The first one is to cook/bake something with both yeast and herbs. The obvious choice is some kind of bread, though I am very excited to see…
Arroz Con Pollo (Rice With Chicken) Served With Roasted Red Pepper And Garlic Yogurt
Meat with rice is a universal comfort food. Indians call it biryani, the Spanish call it Paella, Italians call it risotto, and generally, the term most commonly used is pilaf (or pilav, pulao or whatever you wish to name it). When you look at the history of a certain dish, you may be amazed at…
