Beetroot raita must be the prettiest of all raitas. It will add amazing color to any plate. That’s just an added bonus because beet raita also tastes delicious. Beet raita is a yogurt side dish made by mixing shredded beets and a vaghar (tempered spices) with yogurt. Like other raitas, it provides a cooling counterbalance… Continue reading Beet Raita
Palak Paneer is a creamy spinach curry with paneer. It is a popular Indian dish and a great way to incorporate greens into your meal. Palak Paneer might also be called “Spinach Paneer” or “Saag Paneer,” although “saag paneer” is a little more generic and may use any kind of greens. “Saag” is Hindi for… Continue reading Palak Paneer (Spinach and cheese curry)
Paneer bhurji is a delicious North Indian dish. Despite the base being paneer, a common Indian cheese, it actually has a texture and richness similar to scrambled eggs. You can make this with homemade paneer, or buy it from the store. I make an egg version of this dish, called Egg bhurji, which is very… Continue reading Paneer Bhurji
Cucumber Raita is one of the quintessential side dishes in Indian cooking. It is ever-present on restaurant menus and equally so in homes across India. There are many variations of raita in Indian cuisine. In general, raita is made up of a combination of yogurt and cucumbers, beets, onion, pineapple, or boondi. But even a… Continue reading Cucumber Raita
When I was in my late teens, I worked for a bakery in downtown Disney. The bakery sold a caramelized onion and feta tart that was simply divine. That job did not work out for me and I quit within a month, but I never forgot the taste of that tart. I tried to look up recipes for… Continue reading Paneer and Caramelized Onion Rustic Pie
Kichidi and chaas is my all-time favorite comfort food. My mom used to make kichidi for me whenever I felt a little under the weather. The combination of steaming hot rice and lentils with a cold glass of chaas always made me feel better. Chaas is a simple combination of yogurt, salt, water and cumin.… Continue reading Khichdi Chaas (Rice and Lentils with Yogurt Drink)
The wind was still blowing violently in the morning when we set out for home after our Mt. Whitney and Death Valley trip. It was early in the morning and our attempt at finding breakfast was unsuccessful as the only cafe in town hadn’t opened yet. We decided we would find breakfast along the way.… Continue reading Khajur no Halvo (Date Halwa) and Our Visit to a Date Farm
Paneer makhani, or “Butter Paneer Masala,” is a creamy tomato gravy masala featuring paneer and garam masala. It is a popular restaurant dish often eaten with naan or some other flatbread. It also goes well with rice. Ten years ago, tomorrow, I went to Las Vegas with a club I was in in college. It… Continue reading Paneer Makhani (Butter Paneer Masala)
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)
India’s small population of Chinese immigrants has given rise to a wonderful fusion cuisine. In the 1800’s a group of Chinese (mostly Hakka) came to India (mostly Kolkota) to work in the docks. Their influence lead to the creation of a cuisine that is very different from authentic Chinese food. It is closer to Indian… Continue reading Chili Paneer and Indian-Chinese Cuisine
Superbowl Sunday is coming up! It is the one and only day of the year that Steve and I watch football. We usually go all out and eat all the crappy bar foods that go along with it… and lots of beer! This year I wanted to put an Indian twist on this All-American holiday.… Continue reading Baked Tandoori Chicken Wings with Cumin Yogurt Dip
One of my favorite Indian desserts is Malpuda with Rabri and it is perfect for the big Diwali dinner. When I was a kid living in India, I always wanted to bake cakes for desserts. That was a challenge because we didn’t have an oven. My mom used to borrow an old-fashioned baking contraption from… Continue reading Ricotta Pancakes with Condensed Milk (Malpuda and Rabri)
