It’s almost time for Uttrayan (the kite festival). Last year I wrote all about my childhood memories of kite fighting during the festival. Flying kites isn’t as fun without the sport of the fighting. But I still like to think about those wonderful days spent on rooftops with my dad and brother, flying kites, battling… Continue reading Amaranth Brittle (Rajgira ni Chikki)
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)
I accidentally spilled some fresh cranberries on the kitchen floor as I was opening the package. Our dog, Xaxi, ran into the kitchen (her superpower is the ability to instantly appear in the kitchen as soon as something falls to the floor) like she does and licked up all the cranberries in seconds.
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
Palak Paneer is one of the most popular Indian dishes in the U.S. Spinach and cheese is such a classic combination, think of Spinach Florentine or even spinach artichoke dip which has a cheesy base. Personally, I don’t really like spinach even though I eat it pretty often. I have to dress it up with… Continue reading Spinach and Cheese Curry (Palak Paneer)
Baaflu is a refreshing mango drink made from raw mangoes. Raw as in unripened. It is the perfect summer drink. Even though we drank a lot of lemonade while growing up in India, to me this mango drink is synonymous with summer. My mom would make large batches and I would guzzle down glass after… Continue reading Refreshing Raw Mango Drink: My Favorite Summer Beverage
Steve and I went to a bluegrass jam and barbecue last weekend at a friend’s house. Steve’s been playing bluegrass guitar for a few months now. He’s always practicing around the house. And now it’s as if we’ve always been surrounded by bluegrass music. I’ve learned a whole bunch of songs and can sing them… Continue reading Mango Avocado and Corn Salsa
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
I am a total podcast junkie! I listen to them all day long. Most of my podcasts are NPR programs and one of my favorites is the Splendid Table podcast by Lynn Rosetto Kasper. I always learn a lot about food from her. A couple of weeks ago they had Indian cookbook author Raghavan Iyer on… Continue reading Eight Ways to Cook with Spices
A post on mung beans has been long overdue. Puja and I have been talking about doing a post on them ever since we first started this blog. Much like lentils, they can be used in so many different ways. Well, I’ve sort of been on this Sisyphus diet of losing a couple of pounds… Continue reading Sprouted Mung Beans and a Simple Saute
