The current pandemic had put a temporary stop to a few challenges and that included the AtoZ Challenge, that is hosted by Vidya and Jolly. After posting this recipe for the letter “M”, the tough times came through and taking into account the lock-down back home and non-availability of ingredients, the post for the letter “N” was moved. Finally, we had a declaration from Vidya that we could do our posts this month. During this pandemic, I decided I would cook up with what I had in my pantry – nigella seeds aka kalonji. This ingredient is actually something that is very rarely used, yet is now picking up its way due to all the goodness it can be packed with. I keep a little stock in my pantry so that I can sprinkle it into my pazhampori. I totally love the little bitterness it gives when you bite…
Easy Coleslaw
When we keep gap in between participating in challenges, it feels like a long time. I was thinking that I haven’t been a part of the Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge for a long time, and then realized that after participating in March for the pancake challenge, due to the current situation, there was only one month with a challenge in between, which I did skip. If you remember, I did mention that each of the participating bloggers get a chance to suggest a theme every month. For this month, Kalyani suggested that we make summer salads. Before I go further, Mayuriji has updated this challenge with a new logo from this month. It actually feels good to see a challenge thrive for a long time and get uplifts as well, such cases are a rarity now. From beginning with under Priyaakka, this challenge has traveled interesting paths and themes…
Easy n Creamy Mushroom Sauce
I think when you say “Mashed Potatoes“, automatically some sauce has to come with it. The highest probability is always for Mushroom Sauce, isn’t it? So let it be the second recipe for the three back-to-back junk food favorites for this week. My girls can’t stand mushrooms. I have no clue why. The day we make something with mushroom, they frown. I try to tell them it is a nice meaty vegetable that won’t make you miss the meat, but somehow it doesn’t go much with them. So when I was making this sauce, I was kind of sure that my girls wouldn’t have it. Anyway, since I was craving for it, I got to making it. I wanted to make a sauce with pantry ingredients. I didn’t want the recipe to be over complicated, with spices that we may normally not stock in our store cupboard. That…
Mashed Potatoes
It is good to see the surroundings opening up. With Covid 19 cases on a downward trend and the all facilities slowly opening up, people are slowly coming back to normalcy. Over the weekend, we went for a long drive. We did see a crowd, but we could generally sense that people aren’t still comfortable with eating food from outside or being outside for too long. Even we didn’t walk around for too long. First of all it is really hot and then having the mask on is the most uncomfortable thing in this weather. With the upcoming months going to be really hot, this is something we may need to get used to. Over the weekend, I was really wanting to make some steak and sides. But I am not very knowledgeable about the steak to be used for such meals. I did get thin steaks and…
Aloo Baingan | Potatoes with Brinjal
Even though I have a lot of curry recipes already on the blog, somehow my mind always rotates around my sister’s complaint that I don’t have many “serious” recipes. I still fail to understand what she means by it. Hehe… With the last couple of months teaching a lot about the management of time and resources, it has become really important to learn to cook with whatever is available in the pantry. Alhamdulillah, we never faced a situation where we were short on anything. We still could order online and recieve stocks, we could move out and get the grocery we wanted, but I do know of a lot of friends and acquaintances who stayed in complete lockdown areas and had to adjust with whatever they had with them, and with no option of getting in any deliveries. I never knew that a combination of potatoes and brinjals…
Batata Batemjaan ~ Potato Aubergine Casserole
I was contemplating whether to post this now or later. But during Ramadan, even though we love to eat a lot of non-veg dishes, there are times when you would like vegetarian fare and you would prefer eating something that wouldn’t make you miss non-vegetarian food. This casserole perfectly fits the bill in every way. Let me start with a story. Last January when my parents were here, we were invited for dinner to HD’s local friend’s sister’s house. It is the first time I am eating at a local’s house. Expats in the Gulf countries may understand when I say “first time”. I do have a couple of local friends but we always end up meeting and eating out. The beauty of most of the Gulf countries is you do not feel like you are living in a foreign country, especially if you are an Indian, and…
Aloo Gobhi | Easy Cauliflower Potato Curry {Version 2}
How’s the current lockdown treating you all? With Ramadan right across the corner expected anytime on Thursday or for sure on Friday, it feels really different. We have already received notifications that the masjids would continue to remain closed, so all prayers would still be at home. Even though I have been pryaing Tharaweeh at home ever since the girls came their way, I always love going to the masjid for the Tharaweeh. It gives a real Ramadan feeling. For the past couple of years, even though not every day, I would go on and off whenever I have been able to settle up work. But this time, there is no hope. Let us wait and see how things fare as days pass by, InShaAllah… I am all in for gravies that don’t need too much work. I already have a version on the blog, which umma loves…
Borani Banjan | Baingan ka Borani ~ Afghani Eggplant Yogurt Dish
Ever since the work-from-home has started, I have been trying a lot of new curry recipes that are easy to cook and are budget friendly. I am sure many of us have been doing this a lot. We buy vegetables for ten days and stretch whatever we have and utilize everything we have. Since it is slowly moving into summers, the chance of spoilage is high so it becomes even more imperative to cook everything and finish, before it lands up in trash. I have been noticing that a lot of my curry recipes and easy baking recipes have been doing extremely well, and hence I thought, why not share three back-to-back easy curry recipes that all of you can incorporate into your daily cooking, or maybe as a different menu, but with pantry ingredients. So let me start off with this Borani Baingan… I am sure like…
Falafel {using Chickpeas}
While deciding on the recipes to try for this week’s chosen theme for the Blogging Marathon #110 of “Middle Eastern”, Falafel was surely on top of the list. I don’t know if you would find it a shocker but back home in Kotakkal, a little shop called Salsabeel sells such amazing Falafel sandwiches that sell like hot cakes! In December when I had gone home, we were on the way back after the doctor’s appointment for the TMJ, and D suggested we stop over to eat something. I am sure we all do that on long drives – at least one stop for a cup of chai and some munching. I was in this outlet for the first time so I let him do the ordering for me. We were served with hot falafel sandwiches, that were so mouthful and delightful – I am typing with this with…
Moutabal/ Mutabal | Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip
I have always been vocal about the reason why I love to be a part of Valli’s Blogging Marathon. It is actually a great push for my sagging cooking moods. Her themes actually make me think a little and push me to try recipes that I have been wanting to make for a long time and get them onto the blog. For this month’s version #110, one of the themes was “Middle Eastern”. I love their food, however it is not something I cook that often as I would love to. This theme gave me the chance to try out something that I would love. I have been taking a back seat with trying new recipes, since my girls are not very receptive. However, with my SIL with us now, she is backing me full on to try new recipes and I am hoping that push will slowly get…
Bengali Ghee Bhat | Bengal Ghee Rice
Later last month, when Mayuriji posted on the Shh Cooking Secret Challenger FB group that this month’s West Bengal was going to be the last state to be considered as a part of this challenge, I decided to jump in and give my name. However, I conveniently forgot about it and was reminded only when my partner, Sasmita messaged me earlier last week for the ingredients. Since then I have been trying to cook for the challenge, but ended up doing it only yesterday. The ingredients that she gave me thankfully were very simple – ghee and cinnamon. Coming to the state in question, West Bengal has a lot in common with our own state. An ex-colleague of mine would always say, “Both the states are bound by their love for football, fish, communism and coconut!” I guess it does make a lot of sense. Bengal used to…
Tadka Dal Khichdi ~ Spiced Lentil and Rice Mash
This month, again I am back at participating in the A to Z challenge hosted by Vidya and Jolly. The letter for the month is “L” and I was tempted to go simple. My initial idea was to use limes, which are in abundance now, and make a limeade or maybe even bake a cake. However, I ditched the idea. I don’t know why but I just did. Sometimes, you have no explanations to sudden cancellations to the initial plans, isn’it it? It was when I was reminded of this kichdi which has become my staple almost every weekday as dinner. It features a lot of lentils, but I was doubtful if it would be acceptable. A couple of messages to Vidya and she confirmed it is OK, provided I place the emphasis on the lentils. It was a “yay” moment, since I was sharing it a lot on…
Aloo Raita ~ Potato Yogurt Dip
After the Batata Harra, here is the post no.2 for the Blogging Marathon #106 for the theme “Choose a vegetable, prepare three dishes from different states/ countries”. I decided to do three recipes from three countries, so after a Lebanese recipe, we come to our very own India. 🙂 If you thought potatoes are loved in my house, then I beg to differ. HD, I and B are the ones who love to eat potatoes. My girls scoff at it unless it is in french fries form. Believe me, I sometimes really admire my level of patience with them when it comes to eating – they are way too fussy. *leaving a cry out* Anyway, one Friday, as I was cooking fish biriyani for lunch, I wanted to make a different type of raita. The posts for this theme was pending and it was perfect time to cook…
Batata Harra ~ Lebanese Skillet Potatoes
This week, I am doing three posts related to the Blogging Marathon #106 for the theme “Choose a vegetable, prepare three dishes from different states/ countries”. I have no clue why I chose this theme, but I am sure it was with the good intention of making some nice vegetarian dishes for the blog. I first pondered around using eggplant as my ingredient and even mentioned three recipes I would try. Alas, nothing materialized and to make sure that I have posts ready for this week, I went with the easy to work with, world famous tuber called potatoes, which was incidentally Valli’s example for us to explain the theme. 😀 I was supposed to be doing another dish to start off these three weeks. But I skittled through last moment, and realized I only had saved up the pictures of this post in my pen drive. I…
Masala Pattani Kadala | Spiced Green Peas
Usually, I start to like posts with something that is happening in life, like maybe the weather, or some interesting happening. I don’t know why these days, life is a haze. It becomes morning, then it is the usual rush to work. Once work is done, then I go for my workouts and then reach home just in time to make something for dinner. Days just seem to be moving in super speed, from weeks to months. Before we even know, 2019 will come to an end, in fact it is almost close to. I did give a sigh when I noticed the date today. It hasn’t been a kind year, to say the least but Alhamdulillah for everything. We have survived through it and InShaAllah we will surely go ahead with His grace… 🙂 But something interesting has been happening and that is – finally winters are…
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