These Masala Cheese Toast Sandwiches are a simple combination of boiled potato, cilantro chutney and cheese on bread. There is a delicate crunch to the bread, with a soft interior of savory potato, and just the right amount of gooey cheese. These masala sandwiches are served with sweet and tangy ketchup and a spicy cilantro… Continue reading Potato Sandwiches: Masala Cheese Toast Sandwich
The best way to travel in India has to be by train. The one positive thing everyone can agree British Colonialism did for India was building the extensive railway system in the second half of the 19th century. The Indian Railway runs over 10,000 trains everyday. Express trains that go over long distances are nothing… Continue reading Dry Bhel (Sukhi Bhel)
One of the things I miss most about living in Mumbai is the pav bhaji. It was one of the foods I ate so regularly when I lived there. You can get great pav bhaji on the streets of Mumbai anytime you want. I know many people who make pav bhaji at home, and sadly,… Continue reading Pav Bhaji, A Quintessential Bombay Street Food
Bhel puri is another fun Indian snack food from Gujarat. It is a fun treat made from a balance of sweet, tart, salty and spicy, a common combination in Gujarati food. Gujaratis love to add sugar to savory foods. The other brilliant thing about bhel is the texture. It has just the right combination of… Continue reading Bhel Puri Recipe, A Menagerie of Flavor and Texture
Puja and I got married three years ago, on June 4th, in a mostly Indian-style wedding. For the ceremony we dressed in Indian garb. Puja had mendhi (henna) on her hands and feet and I rode in on a horse with a baraat– a groom’s procession led by a dhol drummer. It was so much… Continue reading Pani Puri, An Indian Streetfood Favorite
In India, guests are known as “emissaries of god,” they drop by any time they want without warning. When they come, you serve. You almost always serve them Chai. Whenever guests would come over to our house, my mom would immediately ask me to make a pot of chai. “Chai” is the Hindi word for “tea” but… Continue reading How to make Gujarati Masala Chai with Lemongrass
These spicy potato fritters are one of my go to recipes when I’m cooking for a crowd. I made them recently for my birthday party. They are an easy to eat finger food and taste great served warm or at room temperature. There are two ways I like to make them: Mumbai style with garlic… Continue reading Batata Vada (Spicy Potato Fritters)
One of my favorite things about food is how closely it’s attached to memories. Egg burjhi is one of those special dishes that transports me back in time. The second I see or taste the simple flavors of it memories of boarding school come flooding at me. When I was in 9th grade, my boarding school… Continue reading Spicy Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes (Bhurji)
Kulfi is the Indian version of ice cream. It’s made in a very similar way to ice cream, except you don’t churn it as you freeze it. Instead, you whip up your milk and cream mixture ahead of time and then just freeze it. It comes out a little more dense than ice cream. The… Continue reading Mint Avocado Kulfi (Indian Ice Cream)
The first time our friend K tasted Indian food was two years ago when Steve and I cooked for her. Since then, she’s totally fallen in love with the cuisine and comes over for weekly dinners and lets me experiment on her. A couple of weeks ago, she saw a large dosa at an Indian… Continue reading Savory Semolina Crepes with Potato Curry and Coconut Chutney (Rava Masala Dosa)
My brother hated pretty much all food except Indian-Chinese when we were younger. Every time we were home alone for dinner, he’d call the local Chinese place for delivery. We’d happily eat our fusion meals together in front of the TV…not something we could do if our parents were home.
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
