Vegetarian

Coconut Cashew Modak
Gluten-free, Indian, Indian desserts, Maharashtrian, My Signature Dishes, Recipes, Regional, Vegetarian

Cashew Coconut Modak / Kaju Khirapat Modak / काजू खिरापत मोदक

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi and a happy welcome to the ‘Vighnaharta’ – the harbinger of troubles; the ‘Vinayaka’ – the god of wisdom. This pot-bellied-single-tusked God of new beginnings is perhaps the most recognisable of Hindu deities as well as one of the most loved. Today marks the start of a 10-day festival when people install […]

Pistou Soup
European, Recipes, Soups, Vegetarian

Pistou Soup

Autumn is the time for warm soups. Hearty, comfort food. Ready for dunking crusty white bread or sprinkling with croutons. The perfect antidote to the rainy day blues. Having said that, we are having one of the warmest autumns on record. So there is still basil growing in my garden in mid-November. So how do […]

Puran poli thali
Indian, Indian desserts, Maharashtrian, Recipes, Regional, Vegetarian

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
Indian, Maharashtrian, Recipes, Regional, Vegetarian

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. […]

Gluten-free, Indian, Indian desserts, Maharashtrian, Recipes, Regional, Vegetarian

Tilgulachi Vadi / Sesame Peanut Flapjacks

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 […]

Gluten-free, Indian, Indian desserts, Maharashtrian, Recipes, Regional, Vegetarian

Besan Ladoo / Besancha ladu / Besan laddoo / Sweet Gram Flour Balls

If there’s ever been a dessert that springs to mind when I hear someone say ‘melt-in-mouth’, then it’s besan laddoo. 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 ‘laddoo’ or […]

Chocolate modak recipe
Gluten-free, Indian, Indian desserts, Maharashtrian, Recipes, Vegetarian

Chocolate Modak With Coconut Filling

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, […]