Upma is one of my go-to Indian breakfast foods. It is a type of porridge made from rava, or semolina in English. Semolina has a texture similar to Cream of Wheat, and I often describe upma to people as “Indian Cream of Wheat.” Rava (“sooji” or “suji” in Hindi) is a type of wheat flour… Continue reading Upma: Savory Cream of Wheat with Onions and Peas
Dhebra are a savory cross between a flatbread and balloon bread. Also known as bajri na vada, they are little fried flatbreads made from bajri no lot, which is pearl millet flour, a Gujarati specialty. Dhebra are a Gujarati snack most often made for the festival of Kali Chadush. Kali Chadush is the day before… Continue reading Dhebra, A Traditional Gujarati Bread
Savory Semolina Crepes with Potato Curry and Coconut Chutney Traditional dosa are made with a rice and lentil batter that needs to first be soaked overnight, then ground into a batter and then fermented overnight. Rava dosa is simpler because it doesn’t have to be fermented. I love the flavor and how easy they are… Continue reading Rava Masala Dosa
Parathas are a staple of food in the Indian diet. You can eat them plain, or with some yogurt and pickle, or as a flatbread to pick up different shaak (“curries”) with. They are so easily transported. Just put them in a pile and wrap some foil around them, or put them in a container.… Continue reading Kale Quinoa Paratha
Khandvi are a traditional Gujarati snack, or “farsan,” that are made with besan flour (garbanzo bean flour) and seasoned with sesame seeds, mustard seeds, chilies, and coconut. They are bite sized and easy to pick up with your fingers and pop into your mouth making them a great party appetizer. And best of all, they… Continue reading Khandvi Recipe: A Gujarati Rolled Snack
A savory semolina crepe, better known as a “rava dosa” is one of my standard quick-fix meals. I experimented with this sweet rava dosa and it was fantastic. It’s like the standard crepe but a little chewier but tastes great Rava dosa are the instant version of the South Indian classic dosa. The classic dosa… Continue reading Sweet Rava Dosa: Semolina Crepes with Caramel Sauce
Cardamom is the vanilla of Indian. We use it in pretty much any sweet dish ranging from rice pudding to nut fudge to masala chai. I love the flavor so much, I chew on cardamom pods in place of mints. I have a method. I pop a whole pod into my mouth and enjoy the… Continue reading Cardamom Semolina Shortbread Cookies
Growing up, my mom would often make pudla, savory gram flour pancakes, as a quick lunch or snack when we were in a rush. Pudla, or “besan chilla” in Hindi, are super quick because all you do is shred up pretty much any vegetable you have on hand like zucchini, carrots, beets, boiled potato, peas…trust me anything… Continue reading Pudla, Vegan Omelet with Cilantro Mint Chutney
