Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Maple Pecan Granola | Breakfast Foods


Its so cold here that I feel we are living in the Arctic!! Every week, we see a fresh batch of snow, followed by ice rain, and then temperature drops. The ice rain freezes everything and the temperature which can be as low as -20F with wind chills of -35F keep everything beautifully frozen. This has got to be the bitterest winter I have encountered here. The upside of all this cold is that the kitchen is warm and its easier to dish out yummy recipes. I have been baking a lot and we are eating a lot of pies, gratins, macaroni bakes, and cookies. All essential to keeping up the energy and temperament while essentially being stuck indoors!! A warm kitchen does make for a warm home:)

Monday, January 20, 2014

Jowar Chivda Ver 2 | Puffed Millet Snack with Fried Garlic and Pepitas


Jowar Chivda is one of my go to snacks. Easy to prepare, its absolutely yummy and healthy to boot. I generally make lots of namkeen (snack mixes) during the festival period, but Chivda is one snack that I tend to make year round. I make so many variations of this snack that it is a shame I have not blogged more recipes of the same. This morning I made a fresh batch and I am so glad that I managed to squeeze some time out to photograph the result and share it with you.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Microwave Saeb aur Badam Kalakand | Apple Almond Fudge


Kalakand is a decadently delicious milk fudge found in many Indian homes during festivals and other celebrations like birthdays and marriages. It is generally a pure milk fudge and is indescribably creamy. One bite and you will be hooked. Its also one of our favourite Indian desserts and I love that can make it at the drop of a hat. I generally make a microwave version of Kalakand though I occasionally made the Khoya based Kalakand too. The latter tends to be time consuming as I like to make the khoya at home too.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Kele aur Saunf ka Pua | Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings | Kumaoni Recipes


Kumaoni cuisine is unique in its ingredients, recipes, and taste. The recipe for Kumaoni Puas | Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings also carries the unique taste of bananas and fennel.

Sweet fried dumplings are found in pretty much every cuisine! Today I am sharing a family recipe for Pua or a sweet fried dumpling from the beautiful hills of Kumaon!! These Puas are unique in that that are made with bananas and fennel and so packed with nutrition and energy needed to survive the cold winters in the hills. My grandmother always made these delicious Puas or Puae as a Prasad on certain festival days. But they were made more frequently to requests by her grandchildren who just love their taste and enjoyed munching them as a snack after school or sports!!

Friday, January 3, 2014

Daring Bakers' December 2013: Chocolate Whoopie Pies


December was a cold cold month here, or so I thought!! January is turning out a lot colder than anyone expected. We are in the chiller, so to speak. But I have to say that the December Daring Bakers' Challenge of making Whoopie Pies cheered me up no end. I have walked our local farmers' market every summer and gazed at the bakery stands with their delicious wares. I have looked at wonder at kids, students, and sundry adults dive into enormous Whoopie Pies of all sizes, flavours, and colours. But I have so far never been able to work up the courage to actually purchase one and eat it.