Who doesn’t like kadhi chawal? This spiced buttermilk and chickpea flour based concoction complements rice perfectly. ⁣ ⁣ But for my paternal grandmother in her later days after she had lost all her teeth, the only way to enjoy kadhi was with finely crumbled millet flatbread or bhakri. To her debilitated bones (and jaw), the fine crumbs of bhakri swimming in the runny sweet-spicy-sour kadhi offered a warm succour after a tiring day of doing nothing. She could only do so much around the house with her crippled back. But her fragile bones had enough strength to crumble the flatbread between her palms over and over, until it was as fine as breadcrumbs for her to chew without teeth. Bhakri was always served, what she called the ‘kuskarun’ way, regardless of what the ‘kalvan’ (a runny curry) was. Despite the ravages of time, those frail palms had just enough strength to use a wooden hand whisk (called ‘ravi’). She would sit down on a hessian mat on the floor and churn that lovely ‘loni’ (butter) to make ‘toop’ (ghee). The residual buttermilk would go in an earthen pot to make kadhi, soon enough, so as to not let it go too sour. When her daughter-in-laws would consult about meal plans for ⁣the next day, the usual reply from her would be along the lines - ‘tya gadhgyatla taak kadh an kar kadhi cha kalvan’ / ‘get the buttermilk out from that claypot and make a (curry of) kadhi’⁣ ⁣ The full low-down on this Maharashtrian kadhi and pea pulav is over on the blog for those wanting to reminisce about the food their grandma enjoyed. ⁣ ⁣ Kadhi recipe : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/maharashtrian-kadhi/⁣ ⁣ Pea pulav rice recipe: https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/pea-pulao-matar-pulav/⁣

Here’s to the end of another bountiful but all too short wild garlic season. The glades of emerald green leaves with their pretty white flowers are starting to disappear so grab them while you can. So if you can still find some and fancy something spicy to make with it why not try this wild garlic dal? It’s very much an Indian dal but the addition of wild garlic gives it a subtle English twist.⁣ ⁣ And if you find you are too late for wild garlic this year, don’t despair, there’s always something new out in the countryside.⁣ ⁣ As promised, sharing the recipe for my wild garlic dal in Instant Pot. A more detailed version of this recipe is now available to view on my Youtube channel here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N5XFM7OgFo⁣ ⁣ The recipe is also documented on my blog here : https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/wild-garlic-dal/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zanzaneet #wildgarlicdal #wildgarlic #tadkadal #dal #recipevideo #wildgarlicflowers #wildherbs #newrecipe #eatseasonal #ukblogger ⁣ #ukvegans #foodblogger #veganrecipeshare #glutenfreerecipe #britishindian #sustainabilityblogger #igtvvideos #vegansofig #glutenfreevegan #newblogposts #foodsustainability #dalsofinstagram #dalbhat #waranbhat #recipevideo #daltadka #veganonabudget #sustainablerecipes #ukfoodies @indianfoodbloggers @ndtvindia @ndtv_food @foxlife_india @foodtalkindia @foodartblog @fbciofficial @indianfoodtales @indianfoodieez @toifood @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_ig @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @maharashtratourismofficial @beingmarathi @punemint

I’m going through a bit of a phase at the moment of craving dhokla for breakfast. And why not? This is one Indian snack that isn’t deep-fried, so it’s easy on the waistline as well as being full of the energy and protein needed to start your day.⁣ ⁣ The first time my husband laid eyes on some soft light cubes of dhokla, his food brain told his tummy to expect something sweet. But of course this is a savoury ‘cake’ so his taste buds got a bit of a shock when he started munching. After he got over the surprise he rather liked them and has grown very fond of the soft texture and subtle spicing from mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilli. So much so that I have to keep an eye on him around my breakfast stash!⁣ ⁣ Curiously enough there is a trend in India now for commercially made dhokla to be sweetened with a sugar syrup as well as adding the spices. Maybe a hint of sweetness is ok but I’m not in favour of this modern trend, keep dhokla savoury I say!⁣ ⁣ I don’t claim to be a dhokla aficionado so I’m not posting a recipe here. Much as I love eating them, I don’t really have anything to add to the recipes that countless others have posted.⁣ ⁣ However, I tried something a little different with this batch by steaming them in my Instant pot using an idli mould (as well as preparing a secret batch more traditionally in a flat tray. They taste good to me either way). Hopefully they’ll be sufficiently disguised to stop my husband pinching too many. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #dhokla #dhoklalove #khaman #khamandhokla #glutenfreeveganfood #veganuk #veganofig #glutenfreefood #glutenfreefoodporn #glutenfreeuk #gujjufood #gujratifood #britishindian #healthyvegan #healthyveganfood #vegansnack #glutenfreebreakfast #myfoodstory #vegansnackideas #easyhealthymeals #ukblogger #gujraticuisine #southasianfood #bloggersofinstagram #ukfoodies #celiaclife #laibhari #modernindiancuisine #regionalatbest #britiansbesthomecooks_ @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @marathifc @foodtalkindia @foodnetwork @foodandwine @ndtv_food @foxlife_india @fbciofficial @toifood

2019, my second day after landing in Pune in India and I wake up jet-lagged to this simple lunch my Mum cooks for us. ⁣ ⁣ ‘Rieethaa..ye jevayla. Tujha taat vadhlay!’ (Rieethaa, your plate is ready, come & eat!). ⁣ ⁣ ‘Kalach thecha kela mi, tula avadto na? Ani shengadanyachi chutney ghe thodi side la…’ (I made ‘thecha’ for you, you like it right? And have some peanut chutney on the side) ⁣ ⁣ ‘Toop taku ka varana var?’ (Shall I drizzle some ghee on your dal?) I say ‘Nako nako, vazan vadhel don divsat’ (No, no, I’ll put on weight in two days.) ⁣ ⁣ To which she retorts ‘Ghe ga, tula kuthe gharchya mhashicha toop milte tithe roz roz’ (Take it, where do you get the homemade ghee made from buffalo milk there?) ⁣ ⁣ ‘Don divas aliye tar zara changla jevan kar ithe.’ (You have come for two days, so eat well here.)⁣ ⁣ The usual food conversation at my home in Pune where my Mum can’t stop stressing about feeding me her food. She prepares all the savoury condiments, treats & snacks I like in anticipation of my arrival. Sadly, even there, my day is usually so packed with activities and chores that I barely notice all the love and work she puts into feeding me. Her meals are often very simple and some of them I can even cook here in the UK, but they never taste as good as those she makes. That bhendi chi bhaji (okra stir fry) is my Mum’s best. She completely adapted her original way of cooking it after I started complaining about it being sticky and not as crispy as I liked. I digress, the bhindi story is a post in itself. But the bottomline is that mums are special. Their selfless, unconditional love is incomparable. We argue, we cry and we make up in the end. It’s relentless. But that doesn’t dim our love for each other one bit. In fact the very fabric of the love we share has been woven from such tiffs and make-ups. We are both quite strong and opinionated on most matters & my Mum shares a fair bit of blame in shaping me this way. But we always value the honesty of our often disparate views. ⁣ ⁣ So here I am revering my Mum through this Maharashtrian thali that she cooked. It’s not Mother’s Day in the UK today but it is in India where she is. Happy Mother’s Day, Mum!

During the British asparagus season from late April to June, I enjoy eating the spears raw as their sweet crunch and aroma is so appealing especially when they’re fresh from the farm. Add to that some shavings of fennel and you have the makings of a delicious spring salad. ⁣ ⁣ I have shared the recipe for this salad here : ⁣ ⁣ https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/purple-asparagus-and-fennel-salad/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #asparagusrecipes #zanzaneet #asparagus #fennelsalad #eatseasonal #eatlocal #vegansalad #asparagussalad #saladdressing #farmfresh #crunchysalad #glutenfreerecipes #ukvegan #veganofig #eatsustainably #ukfoodies #ukfoodblogger #indianfoodbloggersnetwork #foodbloggeruk #sustainabilitymatters #foodsustainability #springsalad #shoplocaluk #britainsbesthomecooks_ #veganrecipes #southasianblogger #farmtotable #veganonabudget #sustainablerecipes #newrecipe⁣ @indianfoodbloggers @ndtvindia @ndtv_food @foxlife_india @foodtalkindia @foodartblog @indianfoodtales @indianfoodieez @toifood @vegetariantimesmag

The wild garlic in our local patch is now blooming with pretty white flowers. This means the season is coming to an end; it won’t be long before the leaves that are carpeting this corner of the woods die back and give way to summer plants. ⁣ ⁣ My humble tadka dal has never lacked flavour but the addition of wild garlic gives this Indian staple a new twist. Its subtly pungent flavour permeates the dal and perfectly complements the rich spicy lentils.  If you want to give it a try, you better start foraging pretty soon, the season only lasts a few weeks. Be sure to check out the recipe on my blog and let me know what you think.⁣ ⁣ Bookmark this: https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/wild-garlic-dal/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zanzaneet #wildgarlicdal #wildgarlic #tadkadal #dal #masoordal #wildgarlicflowers #wildherbs #newrecipe #eatseasonal #ukblogger ⁣ #ukvegans #foodblogger #veganrecipeshare #glutenfreerecipe #vegetarianrecipe #sustainabilityblogger #farmtotable #vegansofig #glutenfreevegan #newblogposts #foodsustainability #dalsofinstagram #dalbhat #waranbhat #marathitadka #daltadka #veganonabudget #sustainablerecipes #ukfoodies @indianfoodbloggers @ndtvindia @ndtv_food @foxlife_india @foodtalkindia @foodartblog @fbciofficial @indianfoodtales @indianfoodieez @toifood @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_ig @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @maharashtratourismofficial @beingmarathi @punemint

Happy May Day everyone! It’s also Maharashtra Day aka Maharashtra Din. It commemorates the day in 1960 when Maharashtra was born as a state. As a Maharashtrian myself, I cannot resist celebrating with the season’s best from my home state, in this aamras-puri आमरस पुरी थाळी⁣ ⁣ Fun fact, if Maharashtra were a country, it would be the 12th most populous nation in the world. Put another way, about 1.5% of the world’s population is Maharashtrian. So I guess it’s fair, we have our own day!⁣ ⁣ We are very proud of our mangoes in Maharashtra, which we export all across the world, including the UK (luckily for me!). The season is in full flow right now and this aamras thali is one of the most traditional ways to enjoy my home state’s finest. So this is Maharashtra Din on a plate.⁣ ⁣ - आमरस पुरी⁣ - कुरडई⁣ - तूप⁣ ⁣ Short of time, I prepared aamras the ‘express’ way from my blog. If you’re lucky enough to lay your hands on a few juicy mangoes from Maharashtra (even payri will do nicely), do give this recipe a try.⁣ ⁣ महाराष्ट्र दिनाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा⁣ जय महाराष्ट्र 🚩⁣ ⁣ Here’s the link to my express aamras recipe : ⁣ https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/maharashtrian-aamras-express-version/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zanzaneet #maharashtradin #mayday #thalifans #labourday #marathifood #aamraspuri #amras #marathipost #britiansbesthomecooks_ #alphonso #glutenfreedessert #ukfoodie #recipeblog #veganrecipes #veganrecipeshare #maharashtriancuisine #vegetarianismo #foodbloggeruk #recipeshare #indianfestivefood #marathimanus #indianfoodblogger #vegetarianthali #marathitroll #recipecreator #laibhari #ukfoodblogger #southasianblogger #indianthali⁣ ⁣ @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @marathifc @foodtalkindia @foodnetwork @foodandwine @ndtv_food @maharashtra_ig @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @maharashtratourismofficial @beingmarathi @ig_maharashtradesha @punemint ⁣

Looking ridiculously overdressed for a wild garlic foraging session. On a more serious note, over-exploitation of this precious wild herb has made me think just how sustainable it is. I've written up my thoughts on the blog (tap the bio link).⁣ ⁣ Here’s the link: https://zanzaneetkitchen.com/wild-garlic-keep-it-sustainable/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zanzaneet #wildgarlic #wildgarlicflowers #wildherbs #sustainableliving #eatlocal #eatseasonal #foraging #wildgarlicseason #farmtotable #vegansofig #glutenfreevegan #springherbs #wilderness #wildlifephotography #ukblogger #greenfood #foragedflowers #edibleflowers #ukvegans #foodblogger #sustainabilityblogger #sustainabilitymatters #wildplants #ukwoodland #sustainability #plantbased #foragedfood #countryliving #growyourown

If you went to Pune, especially in summer, and told me you hadn’t tried one of Sujata’s luscious mango mastanis, then I’d probably judge you for not doing your research properly. Am I being hypercritical? Perhaps. But that’s how emotionally attached I am to this delectable drink enriched with the season’s best mangoes. ⁣ ⁣ In my latest free newsletter, I share my love for Sujata’s mango mastani laced with memories of the city where I grew up. And I went so far as to replicate this regal concoction in my own kitchen here. ⁣ ⁣ Thank you to all my recent subscribers and I hope you’ll enjoy this in your inbox too. ⁣ ⁣ Here’s the recipe for those interested: https://bit.ly/3Kvt3po ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zanzaneet #substack #newsletter #mangomastani #mangomango #mangofolk #sujata #mastani #bajiraomastani #mangoshake #milkshakes #coolsummer #summerdrinks #mangosmoothie #indianmango #puneri #puneriguide #recipeshare #recipepost #mangodessert #punekars #recipecreator #vegetarianrecipes⁣ #mystory #southasianblogger #britishindian #ukfoodies #foodbloggeruk #foodwriter #indianblogger @ndtv_food @walkwithindia @foodwinewomen @marathiduniyaa @maharashtratourismofficial @maharashtra_foods_sanskruti @marathifc @foodtalkindia @foodnetwork @foodandwine @ndtv_food @foxlife_india @fbciofficial @toifood @punetimes @veggie_pune @punemint @thepunemirror @sakalmedia @sakaltimes