Laal Patta Gobhi ke Parathe | Red Cabbage Flatbread

Another recipe today that aims at working with what's in the refrigerator and pantry!! I noticed today there was a small head of red cabbage left over from the last batch of vegetable shopping. I had planned to make Parathas | Indian Flatbread with it over the weekend. However, as I also made a batch of Dosa Batter, we were working our way through crispy dosas for the last few days!!

Giardiniera Salad | Spicy Italian Salad Pickle

Giardiniera Salad is that delightfully spicy pickle that can wake up even the dullest of all sandwiches!! Every self-respecting deli and sandwich shop carries some version of this pickle. It's flavor can vary from just salty and sour to flaming hot depending on the kind of chili peppers that are in it. Cauliflower, carrots, celery, olives, and gerkins all pack this mouth watering salad pickle with loads of tang and flavor.

Tamatar Chawal | Easy Seasoned Tomato Rice

Rice is the easiest of foods to prepare in a rush. Today's recipe involves cooked rice, so its the prefect recipe if you have some rice ready to use in your refrigerator! This Tomato Rice is a yummy treat for adults and kids alike. I like to serve it hot with chutney and plain yogurt. Alternatively, this is a great treat to carry in your lunch box or for a day out too.

Pakora Khuzambhu | Onion Fritters Curry

Kuzhambu  is a cherished curry dish in my home. Combining flavors of spicy, sweet, tart - it makes for the perfect curry. I blogged about my favorite Tomato Kuzhambhu a couple of years back. Today its a recipe for yet another delicious and tangy curry - Pakora Kuzhambu. Crispy onion pakoras, deep fried and golden, dipped in a spicy tamarind and coconut milk curry!! Could you ask for more?

Spicy Garlic Bread | Lasun Dabal Roti | Bread Recipes

Sour Cream Breads are wonderfully moist, dense, and inevitably delicious. The sour cream adds not only to the taste of bakery goods, it also gives them great moisture. As I am baking at a fairly regularly now, I try and rotate the kinds of breads I bake. On the weekend I baked the Cinnamon Almond Raisin Twists and a loaf of Hokkaido Milk Loaf. The milk bread disappeared so fast that I did not even get the opportunity to blog about it!!

Pithi | Peethi | Pitha | Lentil Filled Rice Flour Dumplings #Bihari Kitchen #Vegan

Its been ages since I made any steamed food. After our move, I had parked our steamer away in the back of my pantry. But with the coming of the festival season, we are all craving snacks! This year I decided to begin with making steamed snacks. I began with some Dhokla and the next on my list to make was Pithi | Peethi | Lentil Filled Rice Dumplings.

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.

Tamatar Kanda Pohe | Tangy Tomato Pohe

Back in the day when we were still in school, Mum made yummy tiffin every day. I still marvel at the thought that she would prepare such a variety of tiffin for us early mornings, before we all rushed to the school bus. One of my favourite packed lunches was pohe. While North Indian style pose with onions, potatoes, and cilantro was a regular on weekends, Mum would make delicious Tomato Pohe or Peas Pohe for tiffin.

Festive Bite Sized Spicy Crackers | Eggless Baking

Its that time of the year again when we are busy, busy, busy in the kitchen cooking up delicious festive treats. I mostly end up making fried treats in the run-up to the festivals. This year I am out of town and in India where it is incredibly hot!! So I am trying to make treats that involve less time in the kitchen. Baked Savoury Crackers are the perfect treat when you don't what to stand over the kitchen stove frying up Mathri or Nimkis. Prepare the dough in the cool environment of your dining room, cut the crackers and set them on a baking tray, set the timer and relax!!

Shimla Mirche ke Chawal | Spicy Green Bell Pepper Rice

Fried rice recipes are so easy to put together. A well spiced fried rice dish tastes wonderful warm or cold and makes for a simple and flavorful recipe for a packed lunch or a picnic lunch. Though fried rice recipes are often made with leftover rice, I love to make them with fresh rice too. They make a great one pot meal for lunch or dinner and then if I have any leftover I use it for the lunchbox. If you have an office microwave, you can carry this for lunch the next day too.

Nimboo Wali Arhar Dal | Lemony Toor Dal

Toor Dal easily qualifies to be the creamiest of dals in Indian cooking. Its also very flavourful and highly versatile. Its delicious on its own but also make for a great base for amti, sambar, khichri, and bisi bele bhaat! I am particularly fond of cooking this dal with ginger and garlic, tempering it with hing, and then adding a big squeeze of lemon into it. Delicious and heavenly!!

Alsi Podi | Flax Seeds Chutney Powder

Everyone knows alsi or flax seeds are good for you, but how does one eat them? Incorporate them in your baking, sprinkle them on your granola, blend them into a smoothie, or top a parfait. Looking for new ways to incorporate flax seeds into your diet. Look no further. Here is a recipe that is not just lipsmackingly good, it adds major nutrient value to you meal. Simple, delicious Flax Seeds Podi is the perfect accompaniment to idlis, dosas, and of course rice. Just mix it with some warm raw sesame seeds oil (til tail) to a paste consistency and enjoy. By the way, I also love sprinkling this chutney dry over dals, sprouts, and salads.

Moong Dal Tadka | Tempered Mung Dal

As I had mentioned in a previous post, dal is a staple in most Indian homes and ours is no exception. I am making a lot of dals these days. I love my cup of dal in the afternoon and try to mix it around with a variety of lentils and beans all cooked and tempered in many different ways. Today I am sharing a recipe for a simple mung dal that is tempered with ginger and garlic.

Phool Gobhi ki Bhaji | Cauliflower Saute

With the temperatures diving into the 70s, the weather has turned rather autumnal around here. The leaves on the trees are still green, and there is no fall. But the sunshine seems to have acquired that mellow quality that makes autumn so incredibly beautiful. The flowers are still in bloom and we are seeing a lot of bumblebees, geese, and squirrels!! Its wonderful to enjoy the great outdoors and we have been stepping out every evening to enjoy the longer daylight hours too! That often leave me with a rather short window to rustle up a hot and fresh meal for dinner.

Patta Gobhi ki Bhaji | Sauteed Cabbage | Farm Fresh Produce

Cabbage is a wonderful vegetable. Apart from belonging to the family of cruciferous vegetables, it is packed with beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and fiber! My last visit to the farm yielded some beautiful heads of cabbage, kohl rabi, beets, and cucumbers. I was also able to get some glossy banana peppers and some fragrant lemon grass.But more about those later. Today I want to share a cabbage recipe I developed for the farm fresh cabbage I got last weekend.

Chana Dal Takda | Tempered Bengal Gram Dal and a Round Up of Healthy Me and Healthy Us

Dal is a staple in Indian homes - prepared at least for one meal if not two. As I kid I remember enjoying dal for both lunch and dinner. Moong was our lunchtime favourite and for dinner Arhar or Toor Dal always won hands down. Other dals were always included in the diet and my Mum always alternated between making the wide variety of dals and beans that are available in India. Today I follow this tradition of cooking dal at home. Often I use the pressure cooker as it is perfect to get dals ready in a jiffy. But sometimes I like to soak dals for up to two hours before cooking and then slow cook them in a stock pot on the stove!

Gajar ki Puri | Carrot Poori | Deep Fried Carrot Flatbread

Today's recipe is a well loved one - carrot puris. A simple fried bread made with multiple flours, grated carrots, and spices. These are good snacking puris and perfect for the lunch box. Kids love them for their chewiness and their taste. I like to make a big batch once in a while and save them in the refrigerator. They will last for at least a week - if you can keep your hands off them. Just warm them in the microwave using a damp tea towel and you are good to go.

Gajar Marcha no Sambharo | Fresh Carrot Green Chili Pickle

Fresh pickles are famous in India. Every year when the first vegetables or fruits of the season make an
appearance, people rush out to but these tender treats and make fresh pickles with them. Fresh pickles are generally made with raw ingredients and seasoned with spices and a little oil. They are meant to be eaten with the meal for which they are prepared. Sometimes they may be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two but no more.

Subz Korma | North Indian Style Mixed Vegetable Korma | No Chili Peppers

There are times when I like to make subzi without any chili powder or green chilies. Just flavor with whole spices, garam masala, tomato, garlic, and cilantro, and you get the most wonderfully flavorful blend!! Today I am adding just such a recipe to my food blog - Subz Korma or North indian Style Vegetable Korma. This dish is not only delicious, but also nutritious and perfect for little ones.

Cumin Seasoned Warm Quinoa Salad with Broccolette, Carrots, and Kale | Farmers' Market Days

Summer is here and its time to make salads. I love shopping at our local farmers' market for fresh organic produce. Starting May the market is outdoors and so the pleasure of visiting it just doubles. The sunshine and vendors with bright flowers, fresh fruits, herbs, vegetables just makes shopping such a satisfying experience. Chatting with the farmers who grow the produce and getting to know is a the best bonus that one can ask for.