Other than increasing the nutrient value of legumes, sprouting also enhances their flavour and makes them easily digestible. Horse gram, a much underrated and inexpensive legume from India, is actually one of the most protein-rich lentils on the planet. It’s a powerhouse of protein, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium, iron and fibre so no wonder […]
We Indians, never pass up the opportunity to make jaggery-based sweet treats in the cooler months. And the festival of Makar Sankranti gives all the more reason to make these ‘til-gulachi vadi’, as we call them in Marathi or ‘sesame-peanut flapjack’ as my English husband once described them as he popped one in his mouth […]
If there was ever a festival that celebrates the seasonality of produce, it’s Makar Sankranti – the first Hindu festival of the year that’s celebrated across India under various names. And this ‘bhogichi bhaji’ is just a beautiful way to commemorate this festival through food. The day before Makar Sankranti is Bhogi and it’s the […]
Black-eyed beans (also called black-eyed peas or ‘chawli’, ‘chavli’ or ‘lobia’ in India) are a much-underrated legume. Known as ‘usal’ (pronounced ‘oo-sal’) in the region of India I come from, this dish gives me some mean cravings in autumn when the weather starts to get a bit chilly and damp in the UK. These pale […]
I don’t need a festival like Diwali to enjoy my delicious stash of ‘chivda’ or ‘chiwda’. I make it throughout the year whenever my stocks are low, mainly to satisfy my untimely but guilt-free snack hunger pangs. Also, I enjoy savoury breakfasts a tad more than sweet ones and this Maharashtrian chiwda ticks all my […]
If there’s ever been a dessert that springs to mind when I hear someone say ‘melt-in-mouth’, then it’s besan ladoo. For me it’s rather evocative. The thought of it stirs emotions of holding the besan (gram flour) dough and moulding it, using the heat of your palms, until a neat round ball of ‘ladoo’ or […]
The one Diwali treat I can’t do without is chakli. This wonderfully crunchy savoury snack is my favourite; a must-have on my Diwali platter as it offsets the sweetness of the Indian ‘mithai’ that we all consume too many of at this time of year. Chakli (or ‘murukku’ as they call it in South India) […]
I love wild food, there is nothing more sustainable than food that you pick yourself. Whenever there is an abundance of fruit we naturally think about preserving. Chutneys, jams and pickles all spring to mind. So with the local hedgerows groaning under the weight of a bumper wild plum crop, I came up with this […]
Kadhi, needs no introduction to an Indian. It is often about as yellow as a dal but tastes nothing like it. It’s so versatile, that almost every corner of India has whipped up its own version of this dish. This unsung dish can be prepared in just 30 minutes so on hectic days when you’re […]
Pea pulao is an aromatic rice dish with mild spices and green peas. It’s a gluten-free one-pot meal in itself. Indian festive thalis often feature some sort of rice dish; this pea pulao is one of them. There are so many ways you can make it – you can cook it in a pressure cooker […]
Modaks are traditionally made during Ganesh Chaturthi to celebrate Lord Ganesha’s birthday and it’s customary to spoil him with his favourite sweet, that’s modaks. While ‘ukadiche modaks’ are my personal favourite (as well as Ganesha’s), my daughter can’t appreciate the Ganpati festivities until she gets to eat this dainty dark chocolate and coconut variety. So, […]
Burfi – India’s answer to western fudge. It’s sweet, it’s soft; melts in your mouth, and leaves you craving for more. Indian burfi is usually made with milk and sugar, laced with flavours of saffron, cardamom, fruits, and nuts. It’s basically a celebration of all things joyful. Now I usually make my coconut burfi with […]
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Hi, I’m Rieethaa, a food photographer and recipe developer but most of all I just love cooking simple flavourful food that wakes up the sleepiest tastebuds, and I want to share some with you here. So come in and help me chop some onions, will you?
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