Bottle gourd, also known as dudhi in India, is a very versatile vegetable. Although it’s classed as exotic produce in the UK, it has become a common find in Indian grocery stores across the UK. A long pale green bottle gourd with delicate white flesh inside dotted with soft edible seeds is rather delicious (and […]
Tag: dudhi bhoplyachya salancha thecha
About me
.
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?
Subscribe to my newsletter
I write more than just recipes in my Substack newsletter. Sometimes you'll find me rambling about the culinary legacy of my ancestors interlaced with their stories, that inspire me to be more conscious of the planet and its people. Other times I simply share regional recipes from India as well as my take on European food, lifestyle and culture. So if this interests you, do subscribe to my newsletter here.

Unctuous with milk solids but without any tinned (or plastic packaged) condensed milk or cream, this coconut burfi is definitely a crowd pleaser - be it Rakshabandhan or the Maharashtrian festival of sea gods, Narali Pournima. And since both are almost upon us, I had to share my take on coconut burfi.
Here’s the recipe:
https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/fresh-coconut-burfi-with-reduced-milk-naralachi-burfi/
#zanzaneet #blogpost #recipereels #naralipournima #britainsbesthomecooks_ #rakshabandhan #burfi #coconutburfi #recipecreator #foodbloggeruk #rakshabandhanspecial #mithai #glutenfreetreats #festivetreats #festivalsofindia #ukfoodblogger #indianfoodbloggers #ukfoodie #marathifestival #janmashtami #laibhari #foodsustainability #dessertsofinstagram #eatprettythings #glutenfreeuk #vegetarianismo #heritagefood #nariyalburfi #memarathi #beingmarathi @marathiduniyaa @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti
2 days ago

After posting my carom leaf pakora recipe, as promised, I am sharing how I grew this magical Indian herb on my kitchen windowsill in the UK. I have also solved the mystery of why Indian borage / carom leaf plant won’t give you carom seeds and why, despite that, it’s called carom leaf plant.
Read on the blog : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/carom-leaf-pakora/
Thanks to @bhukadinsan for helping me solve the conundrum of the Indian borage / carom leaf plant.
#zanzaneet #ajwain #carom #pakoda #indianborage #ovyachibhaji #ajwainkepatte #caromplant #howtogrow #pakoras #fritters #recipeshare
#glutenfreeuk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #veganrecipes #veganuk #veganofig #foodbloggeruk #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #howtoreels #growsomething #britishgarden #britishindianfood #angloindian #ukgardener #ukfoodie #rookiegardener #sustainablefood #sustainablelifestyle #gardeninspo
@sarahravenperchhill @riverford @themontydon @gardenersworldmag @bbcearth @deliciousmag @graziauk
4 days ago

Though I’d watched my Mum make these Indian borage leaf (commonly called carom leaf) pakoras as a child I had never cooked them myself. So it was a surprise when they puffed up like balloons and then skittered around the pan like little boats in a storm. Then as if by magic the shape of the finished pakoras mirrored the serrated edges of the leaves. They looked like I’d trimmed them with a fancy pastry cutter, but nothing so elaborate happened. So here’s a little taste of home, fun to make and a dream to eat.
Recipe is on the blog : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/carom-leaf-pakora/
#zanzaneet #ajwain #carom #pakoda #indianborage #ovyachibhaji #ajwainkepatte #caromplant #howtogrow #pakoras #fritters #recipeshare
#glutenfreeuk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #veganrecipes #veganuk #veganofig #foodbloggeruk #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #howtoreels #growsomething #britishgarden #britishindianfood #angloindian #ukgardener #ukfoodie #rookiegardener #sustainablefood #sustainablelifestyle #lionesses
@sarahravenperchhill @riverford @themontydon @gardenersworldmag @bbcearth @deliciousmag @graziauk
1 week ago

Yesterday’s Euros football final was deliriously enjoyed with these carom leaf pakoras / Ajwain leaf pakodas or ओव्याच्या पानांची भजी.
Many of the flavours that I grew up with aren’t very easy to find in the UK. And it turns out that certain tropical plants don’t appreciate wet and cold, who knew? Sometimes though the cravings for those flavours, prompted by childhood memories, get the better of me. So it was when I tried planting some ajwain cuttings on my windowsill, more out of hope than expectation. Well this is one tropical plant that thrives here, at least indoors, because it grew like a magic beanstalk. Pruning was called for!
So with a nice little harvest of lush green ajwain leaves I set about recreating the pakoras that my Mum used to make for me. Deep fried in a light besan batter, these crispy snacks were just the ticket for watching the Euros football final with my family.
I have written the easy no-fuss recipe over on the blog for you to sample:
https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/carom-leaf-pakora/
#zanzaneet #ajwain #carom #pakoda #euros #ovyachibhaji #ajwainkepatte #caromplant #howtogrow #pakoras #fritters #recipeshare
#glutenfreeuk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #veganrecipes #veganuk #veganofig #foodbloggeruk #zerowastecooking #howtoreels #growsomething #britishgarden #britishindianfood #angloindian #ukgardener #ukfoodie #rookiegardener #sustainablefood #sustainablelifestyle #lionesses
@sarahravenperchhill @riverford @themontydon @gardenersworldmag @bbcearth @deliciousmag @graziauk @ndtv_food @womenshealthuk @foodandwine @marathiduniyaa
1 week ago

Sharing my Gatari Amavasya / गटारी अमावस्या special from yesterday. This ‘dum ka murgh’, slow cooked in the oven was all my family needed to mark the occasion. What is dum ka murgh? Head over to my blog to get the lowdown.. I’ve written a short-form post there with a recipe that’ll help when the cravings come knocking on your tastebuds.
Here’s the recipe : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/dum-ka-murgh/
PS. I will be adding a few more bits to this blog post but don’t worry, I’ll reliably let you know when I do, so that you’re always up to date.
#gatari #amavasya #dumkamurg #recipeblog #chickencurryrecipe #curryinoven #beingmarathi #marathireels #glutenfreeuk #ukfoodie #ukfoodblogger #creamychicken #slowcookerrecipes #laibhari #gavran #thalifans #britishindian #angloindian #thali #memarathi #bhannatrecipes #nonvegetarian #meatbased #britainsbesthomecooks_ #glutenfreerecipe #ukfoodie #foodbloggeruk #zanzaneet #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #reelsmarathi
@maharashtratourismofficial @marathiduniyaa @being_marathi_official @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @ndtv_food @punetimesonline
2 weeks ago

The farm to fork journey of red amaranth is truly gratifying if you appreciate slow and sustainable living. Red amaranth, also called lal math in my mother tongue language, thrives beautifully in the British climate. Last summer when I decided to grow some from seed purely as an experiment, I was astonished by the sheer volume and the vivid colour of the leaves it produced. Here are my top-tips if you’re growing it yourself, from seed in the UK:
1. Sow the seeds in peat-pots indoors filled with fine compost around February-March.
2. Try and space each seed out a little so that they don’t end up crowding each other.
3. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of compost, about 5mm.
4. Water gently and leave them to grow indoors in a propagator kept on a sunny windowsill.
5. Don’t over-water. You only need to water when the soil feels dry.
6. Come June, they’re ready to be repotted outside.
7. Plonk the entire contents of the pot into a bigger (hemp) pot filled with (homemade) peat-free compost and ideally leave the pot in a greenhouse or polytunnel in the earlier days if the weather is still a bit chilly or windy.
8. Watering once a week is enough unless there’s a heatwave.
9. Prune the tops when they start flowering if you’re growing only for their crimson red leaves for cooking.
Full details along with a recipe to cook the leaves are on my blog : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/red-amaranth-stir-fry/
P.S. If you’re growing from seeds for the first time simply buy them. Details in stories.
#foodsustainability #farmtofork #growingfood #summergarden #gardenproduce #plantpowered #howtoreels #growsomething #britishgarden #britishindianfood #angloindian #ukgardener #ukfoodie #rookiegardener #sustainablefood #sustainablelifestyle #zerowastecooking #lalmath #redspinach #redamaranth #stirfryrecipe #glutenfreeuk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #veganrecipes #veganuk #veganofig #foodbloggeruk #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #zanzaneet #sustainabilitymatters @sarahravenperchhill @riverford @themontydon @gardenersworldmag @bbcearth @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @ndtv_food @punetimesonline
2 weeks ago

Lal math or red amaranth thrives beautifully in the British climate so cooking this लाल माठाची भाजी / lal mathachi bhaji or red amaranth stir fry was a no brainer. I didn’t enjoy it in my younger days but my reticence to cook this crimson red spinach evaporated as soon as I realised just how delicious these homegrown leaves taste. British gardeners seem to grow amaranth for its blossom or as a decorative plant for borders. However, its leaves are not only nutritious, but also delicious once cooked. I like to keep this dish simple to maximise the inherent flavour of red amaranth.
The full recipe is on my blog -https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/red-amaranth-stir-fry/
#zerowastecooking #recipereels #lalmath #redspinach #redamaranth #stirfryrecipe #glutenfreeuk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #maharashtrianfood #veganrecipeshare #beingmarathi #marathireels #veganrecipes #foodsustainability #veganuk #veganofig #glutenfreerecipe #ukfoodie #foodbloggeruk #maharashtrian #vegetarianismo #veganofig #memarathi #heritagefood #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #recipeblog #zanzaneet #sustainabilitymatters #laibhari #reelsmarathi @marathi_food_lover @maharashtratourismofficial @marathiduniyaa @being_marathi_official @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @ndtv_food @punetimesonline
2 weeks ago

Like I said in my previous post, my Maharashtrian cravings are back. As the weather gets warmer the fruit and veg in my garden becomes more and more abundant. The heat hasn’t put me off feeding my soul the food I grew up with in India. So I got busy patting bhakris with our farm grown sorghum and rustling up a red amaranth stir fry to introduce to my family. And given how much we all love aubergines, there was stuffed aubergine curry to whet our palates. The whole brown lentil & chana dal was simply there as backup, in case my rustic cooking style didn’t appease their soft delicate palates, but thank god, they loved every morsel of this thali.
ज्वारीची भाकरी / sorghum flatbread - recipe will be on the blog soon
लाल माठाची भाजी / red amaranth stir fry - recipe will be on the blog
भरली वांगी / stuffed aubergines - recipe is in my story highlights
मसूरची दाळ आणि भात / whole brown lentil dal & rice with ghee
भोपळ्याच्या सालांचा ठेचा / bottle gourd peel ‘thecha’ - recipe is on the blog. My stash is nearly finished but we are so hooked on this spicy condiment that I’m going to have to knock up another batch.
Visit zanzaneetkitchen.com for recipes.
#zerowastecooking #glutenfreeuk #amaranth #bhakri #thalifans #stuffedaubergine #recipeshare #veganthali #maharashtrianfood #beingmarathi #veganrecipes #glutenfreerecipe #ukfoodie #foodbloggeruk #maharashtrian #glutenfreethali #vegetarianismo #veganuk #veganofig #varanbhat #thecha #bottlegourd #chutney #sorghum #memarathi #britainsbesthomecooks_ #indianthali #heritagefood #recipeblog #zanzaneet @marathi_food_lover @maharashtratourismofficial @marathiduniyaa @being_marathi_official @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @ndtv_food @punetimesonline
1 month ago

Thecha (ठेचा) is a spicy condiment in Maharashtra, traditionally prepared by pounding a few green chillies, garlic and peanuts in a pestle and mortar. The quintessential thecha gets a makeover whenever I have some leftover bottle gourd peel.
Bottle gourd skin is grated, then thoroughly shallow fried with a ground (or rather pounded) mixture of coriander, green chillies and garlic until crisp and browned, before adding sesame and the mandatory roasted and ground peanut powder. And there you have it, a zero-waste dudhi bhoplyachya salancha thecha दुधी भोपळ्याच्या सालांचा ठेचा
Enjoy it with साधं वरण भात आणि तूप
The detailed recipe is on the blog : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/bottle-gourd-peel-thecha/
#zerowastecooking #recipereels #glutenfreeuk #thecha #britainsbesthomecooks_ #maharashtrianfood #condiment #bottlegourd #veganrecipeshare #beingmarathi #marathireels #veganrecipes #foodsustainability #veganuk #veganofig #glutenfreerecipe #ukfoodie #foodbloggeruk #maharashtrian #vegetarianismo #veganofig #chutney #memarathi #heritagefood #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #recipeblog #zanzaneet #sustainabilitymatters #laibhari #reelsmarathi @marathi_food_lover @maharashtratourismofficial @marathiduniyaa @being_marathi_official @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @ndtv_food @punetimesonline
1 month ago
Archives
Categories
- Cakes & bakes (3)
- European (3)
- featured (1)
- Foraged food (6)
- Gardening (2)
- Gardening (2)
- Gluten-free (34)
- Home Decor (3)
- Hydrabadi (1)
- Indian (22)
- Indian desserts (8)
- Intersectional Environmentalism (1)
- Italian (6)
- Maharashtrian (22)
- Meat based (2)
- My Signature Dishes (15)
- Pickles & chutney (5)
- Recipes (48)
- Regional (20)
- Salad (1)
- Seafood (1)
- Snack (1)
- Sustainability (6)
- Vegan (25)
- Vegetarian (21)
Recent Comments