I don’t know about you but my day doesn’t really get going until I’ve had my morning masala chai. English breakfast tea doesn’t come close. So what is it about Indian chai? It’s served in a cup or glass a bit smaller than an English tea cup or mug. Generally, chai is milky*, sweet and […]
Indian
Ridge Gourd Curry / Dodkyachi Bhaji / दोडक्याची भाजी
Ridge gourd or Dodka in Marathi, was never my favourite. But since I moved away from my homeland and saw less of it, the more I missed its mild flavour and subtle sweetness. So recently I decided to make it slightly more interesting by adapting my Mum’s recipe a bit. It’s not the most visually […]
Fresh Fenugreek Stir-Fry / Methi chi Bhaji / मेथीची भाजी
There are some jobs in the kitchen that still need to be done the hard way. The labour-saving gadget that my husband craves the most is the auto-methi-leaf-picker™. Alas, modern science has yet to fulfil his needs. So I know that I’m going to get a few moans whenever I bring 3 or 4 bunches […]
Damtyache ladu / Besan Poori laddoo / Puriche ladu / Crumbled Besan Poori Ladoo / दामट्याचे लाडू
Lehsuni Sev / Lasooni Sev / Garlic Sev / लहसुनी सेव / spicy vermicelli snack
If you like a punch of garlic in your snacks then there’s nothing more garlicky than this ‘lehsuni sev’. Every year for Diwali I peel a load of garlic and my husband, who has a thing about garlic breath, usually says something like ‘… there goes our social life this Diwali..’ Needless to say, this […]
Indian Borage Leaf Pakoras / Carom Leaf Pakora / Ajwain Patta Pakoda / ओव्याच्या पानांची भजी
Indian borage leaf, also commonly called carom leaf or ‘ajwain ke patte’ is no novelty to Indians. Like many, I grew up watching my Mum tend this herb in her garden and when the Monsoons hit Indian shores, she’d make these pakoras as our evening snack. I decided to have a go at growing this […]
Dum Ka Murgh / दम का मुर्ग
Dum ka murgh is the legendary Hyderabadi chicken curry, slow cooked in a richly spiced creamy sauce. I cooked it today for Gatari Amavasya (गटारी अमावस्या), the new moon night when Maharashtrians indulge in meaty feasts and binge on booze before the onset of the holy month of ‘Shravan’ when they’re required to abstain from […]
Wild Garlic Tadka Dal
The scent of wild garlic is once again wafting through the woodlands of Britain. This year it’s even been in the news, though sadly not for the right reasons. It seems it’s getting too popular for its own good and some people (or maybe restaurants) are over-harvesting this precious seasonal delicacy. Our local patch has […]
Puran poli / पुरणपोळी / Maharashtrian sweet lentil flatbreads
Whether it’s the Hindu festival of colours (called Holi), or a farming festival of oxen (called Bail Pola), a Maharashtrian puran poli is not to be missed. It’s traditional to make this Marathi delicacy for festivals like Holi, Diwali, Bail Pola, Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa. I feel obliged to roll some of these sweet […]
Masale Bhat
The world is blessed with so many different ways to cook rice. Where would we be without this humble grain? So many souls are sustained by it. But for such a mundane ingredient it’s amazing how it forms the basis for something unique to the region that I grew up in, the wonderful masale bhat. […]
Sabudana Vada / Sago Patties / Sago Balls / Tapioca Patties
It’s that time of year again when I binge on delicious and fairly healthy vegan fasting treats under the guise of celebrating ‘Mahashivratri’, a Hindu festival honouring Lord Shiva. I say ‘under the guise’ because this festival is anything but fasting for me and many Indians like me. It is believed that Shiva performed his […]
Green chickpea kachori / ‘khasta’ hara chana kachori
I am no ‘kachori’ connoisseur but I know how I like them. Perhaps a bit too well, because I couldn’t resist the urge to make these when I spotted some elusive green chickpeas at my local Asian store. Now, it’s not traditional to make kachoris with green chickpea stuffing but what the heck, I let […]
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