Chana Masala goes by many names: Channa masala, chole masala, chole, cholle. They are all the same dish. It is usually made with the more common, light-colored chickpea, as opposed to black chickpea, kala chana. In my house, we typically call it “Chole,” which is the Punjabi name for Chana masala. Chole is a popular dish… Continue reading Easy Chana Masala
When people come over to my house for Indian food for the first time, I often serve Potato Shaak. I like it because it is so representative of the flavors of Indian cooking, and it just feels like a homestyle meal.
Rice Pilaf is ubiquitous across most of the world’s cuisines. This is probably because it is such a great dish for large gatherings. Making a large pot of rice pilaf is not much more difficult than making a small pot.
Cauliflower is by far the most cooked vegetable in our house. I roast it, steam it, fry it, mash it, pickle it, and even it eat it raw. I pretty much buy a cauliflower on every grocery store trip. There are so many different ways to eat cauliflower, it’s a super versatile vegetable. But of all the ways… Continue reading Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower with Cilantro Onion Chutney
So many different Indian foods are made with lentils. From kichidi (simple rice and lentils) to soups, flat breads and even some Maggie noodles (think Ramen noodles) are made from lentils. Beans and lentils are a primary source of protein for many vegetarians, and India is full of vegetarians. When I was a kid, I… Continue reading A Guide to Indian Dal, Lentils, Beans, and Pulses
I fell in love with khandvi making when I was about six years old. I used to love helping my mom make these spicy garbanzo bean flour rolls. My mom would make large batches and I would help her spread out the dough into thin sheets all over the counters and tabletops. Then we’d roll… Continue reading Spicy Garbanzo Bean Flour Rolls (Khandvi)
To me the perfect breakfast food is well-balanced but high on the protein side of things, and perhaps most importantly, quick and easy to make. Only on the rare weekend morning do I feel like putting in the work for anything complicated like an omelette before I’ve even had my morning coffee. There are so… Continue reading Date Milk
When I was in college I barely cooked. I lived with my brother who, especially back then, didn’t like to eat much. We pretty much lived on fast food and Doritos. But Upma was one of few things I did cooked back then, since it was fast, easy and one of the few things he… Continue reading Savory Cream of Wheat with Onions and Peas (Upma)
Whenever anyone asks me where they should go when they visit India, one place I like to suggest is McDonald’s. I usually get a confused expression looking back at me. “No, seriously,” I have to insist. The McDonald’s in India are so different from anywhere else in the world, they have to be experienced, especially… Continue reading When McDonald’s Came to India; Curried Potato Sliders
Eating healthy lunches just got a lot easier for me. Lunch is always such an issue. Over time Steve and I somehow accidentally divided up breakfast and dinner duties. But lunch isn’t so simple. Neither of us has claimed “lunch duty,” so it tends to get ignored until the second that I’m hungry. I am… Continue reading Healthy Curried Quinoa with Spinach and Avocado for Lunch
Steve and I are not big fans of leftovers. Although, he’s not as picky an eater as me, we are both terrible at eating what’s in the fridge. When we’re hungry, we open the fridge, glance at the leftovers, ignore them, and cook something fresh instead. At our house, leftovers often end up in the… Continue reading Quinoa Fritters (Tikki), a simple recipe for leftover quinoa
For me, jalebi is one sweet that instantly triggers deep feelings of nostalgia. I grew up always eating them to celebrate our parents wedding anniversary. Steve and I had some delicious apple jalebi for my birthday one year at Rasika in Washington DC. We also served jalebi at our Mehndi Party (a pre-wedding celebration where… Continue reading Celebrating the New Year with Rhubarb Jalebi in Cardamom Syrup
