Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani (Kacchi Style)
Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani (Kacchi Style) If you are reading this, you’re likely either hungry and could not resit gawking at a plateful of biryani.. or are on the same journey I was until now – the search for THE biryani. While we were pretty happy alternating between this and this, I knew I had to … Continue reading
Tandoori Chicken
This might indisputably be the most liked Indian chicken dish ever. And it comes as such a welcome surprise that it doesn’t take much to put it together right at home, that too without a tandoor! Now the version I used to make before was certainly yummy, but not the dry-roasted-reddish-colored-drumsticks that you find at … Continue reading
Malai Kofta Curry | Panner-Vegetable Dumplings in Creamy Indian Sauce
For the longest time, I remember not wanting to eat malai koftas because I had this thing for malai – which to me was the shriveled layer of milk skim that I could never ever consume – it just makes me gag. Mom says I’m paranoid. But it happens every time, and even a tiny bit cannot escape … Continue reading
Rajma Masala / Rajma Chawal / Red Kidney Beans Curry With Rice
Merry Christmas and hope everyone’s enjoying the much-needed break this holiday season! We had a good time taking in some really pretty winter scenery on a frozen lakefront home with friends. Now, there’s something about white winter scenes that makes you want to eat everything that’s got a deep red hue with hot steam wafting upwards. This recipe fits the … Continue reading
Paneer Burji Sandwiches / Scrambled Paneer with Toast
Even though we all like to try out different recipes and add to our repertoire, there are some dishes that make it to a whole different class that’s super special: the go-to-recipes. It’s the ones that you can put together with eyes closed (so to say), and can easily find the will to muster up after … Continue reading
Crunchy Tomato Rice
I haven’t been able to post recipes for a little while now – reason, well life just got in the way. Now, doesn’t it always? So here’s a recipe that you will never find intimidating anytime of the week. It takes just over 20 minutes to make, especially if you have leftover rice. What makes … Continue reading
Pepper Chicken Masala / Kozhi Milagu Varuval Chettinad Style
Pepper Chicken Masala / Kozhi Milagu Varuval Chettinad Style This used to be D’s #1 and most requested dish at home. But now there’s stiff competition from this guy, but trust me – he still cannot decide between the two. Well, they are pretty much tied as far as I can tell, and whichever happens to be on … Continue reading
Squash Erissery / Easy Butternut Squash Curry with Lentils and Coconut
Squash Erissery / Easy Butternut Squash Curry with Lentils and Coconut We’ve been buying more frozen veggies these days, seeing that there does not seem to be much of a different nutrition-wise when using frozen produce if you cannot get fresh-from-the-farm produce or use fresh groceries within a few days of buying them, as they … Continue reading
Stuffed Okra / Baked Bharwan Bhindi
Stuffed Okra / Baked Bharwan Bhindi ~ Okras stuffed with a simple spice mix and pan cooked or baked to yummy goodness. This was my first attempt at making stuffed okra, and it was such a refreshing changeover the usual kadai bhindi or any other bhindi curry/ sabji recipe.The moment I suggested this dish, D’s … Continue reading
Dal Tadka / Easy Lentils Curry Punjabi Style
Dal Tadka / Easy Lentils Curry Punjabi Style Feeling lazy? Or feeling like something simple and home-made? I bet dal chawal is what hits your mind first. It’s the quintessential comfort food for most of us from the subcontinent and though I am sure you hardly look-up a dal tadka recipe on the internet, you might want to … Continue reading
Chicken Korma / Chicken Curry with Coconut and Cashews
Chicken Korma / Chicken Curry with Coconut and Cashews For as long as I can remember, korma (or kurma) curries have been a favorite of mine.. whether it was the chicken / non-vegetarian version or just good-old vegetable korma. And at risk of sounding clichéd, I am going to say it is because of my mom. … Continue reading
Dal Palak / Spinach Dal / Lentils and Spinach Curry
Dal Palak / Spinach Dal / Spinach Lentils Curry I have such a poor memory when it comes to remembering ‘lists’ – well, that greatly affects my ability to remembering recipes and recreating the same recipe in exactly the same manner more than once. Not fun. Especially when you make something that is just perfect … Continue reading
Mushroom Biryani | Mushrooms and spices cooked with rice
Mushroom Biryani | Rice & Mushrooms cooked with coconut and spices I don’t even know where to begin to tell you just how flavorful this biryani can be! If you are strictly vegetarian, and okay with mushrooms, then please do try this: your friends that rave about the flavors from chicken or other meat-flavored biryanis can … Continue reading
Kola Urundai Kuzhambu / South Indian Meatball Curry
Kari Kola Urundai Kuzhambu / Indian Meatballs Curry with Kheema (Minced Goat or Lamb Meat) A chettinad specialty, and the Indian version of meatballs in a spicy tangy tamarind-based curry. The minced goat meat (kheema) is mixed with a special spice powder made with roasted gram flour, cinnamon, ginger-garlic, chilies, onions, etc. and made into meat … Continue reading
Pav Bhaji / Toasted Buns and Mixed Vegetable Curry
Pav Bhaji / Toasted Buns & Mixed Vegetable Curry ~ A popular Mumbai street-food adapted for the home. What’s not to like about Pav Bhaji? Such a simple yet hearty mix of mashed vegetables served with hot buns toasted with a generous spread of butter. Have it for lunch, dinner or anytime in-between. You don’t need … Continue reading
Kerala Kadala Curry / Chickpeas in a coconut flavored curry
Kerala Kadala Curry or Kadala Masala Curry ~ Chickpeas cooked with coconut-tomato-onion and spices. The perfect accompaniment for breakfast specials like Puttu / Idiyappam / Appam / Dosa. D’s parents are from Palakkad, and needless to say that’s my source for Kerala food and recipes. Kadala curry or Kadala masala curry as it is otherwise called, is … Continue reading
Sweet Kozhukattai / Vella Kozhukattai Recipe / Ganesh Chaturti Special
Sweet Kozhukattai / Vella Kozhukattai ~ Sweet dumplings of rice-flour filled with coconut, jaggery and other goodies. Lord Ganesha sure knew a thing or two about good food. His favorite dish is this sweet dumpling made with steamed rice, called Kozhukattai – also known by these other names: Kozhakkattai, Vella (jaggery) Kozhukattai, Modak, Kadubu, Kudumu, … Continue reading
Tamarind Rice / Temple Style Puliyodarai
Tamarind Rice / Temple Style Puliyodarai ~ Rice mixed with tamarind sauce and an aromatic South-Indian spice mix If you grew up in Southern India, I bet this brings back memories of the yummy puliyodarai / puliyogare / kovil pulisadham served as prasadam in temples on special occasions. There was always something different about the ones … Continue reading
Mattar Paneer / Paneer and Peas in a creamy sauce
Mattar Paneer ~ Paneer and Peas cooked in a creamy Punjabi – Indian sauce A very popular main course dish and one of D’s favorite, which makes it a frequent choice for dinners at home. Here’s a recipe I’ve tried and perfected over time after having cooked my way through a number of pro-chef versions of … Continue reading
Oven Cooked Chicken Kabab/ Chicken Tikka
Oven Cooked Chicken Kababs (kebabs) or Chicken Tikka Chicken marinated in Punjabi-Indian spices with yogurt gram flour and oven-cooked on skewers I had been putting off on trying to make any kabab (kebab) or skewered / grill-cooked recipes as I do not have an outdoor or electric grill and did not want to go the … Continue reading
Aish Cooks 