Quinoa Tabbouleh / Tabouli Salad is an excellent Middle Eastern recipe that can be made in less than 20 minutes. It can also be stuffed in a pita with falafel and hummus or eaten just as a salad for a meal. I first learned about this Quinoa Tabouli recipe in a workshop at our local library here, called Cooking with whole grains. In that workshop, the presenter was a chef who now totally practices cooking with whole grain only....
Spinach And Ricotta Lasagna is a very simple recipe that can be assembled well in advance and can be cooked just before dinner. I love to make this for parties, as you can make it ahead of time. It is also a very filling dish. Being vegetarians, it is very hard to eat Lasagna in restaurants. Most restaurants serve lasagna with meat sauce and the only option for us to eat it is to make it at home....
A complete Indian meal includes a raita / pachadi, which is the cooling factor. This Thakkali pachadi / Tomato raita is perfect with the spicy Milagu kuzhambu (pepper stew) and is made with fresh tomatoes and homemade yogurt. I love how a complete meal, be it South Indian or North Indian, always has a pachadi / raita in it. When eating a large meal, the yogurt in the pachadi does have a very soothing effect on the tummy....
Jevvarisi Payasam is a sweet dish made with sago or tapioca pearls, sweeteners, milk, cardamoms, cashews, and raisins. This Sago Kheer is a simple recipe that can be made in no time during festivals or occasions. Even before I talk about the recipe or the choice for today, I have a confession to make. I have never made Jevvarasi payasam in my life though it is one of my favorites....
These Vegetable Hakka Noodles have the smoky flavor of all the vegetables cooked on high flame. Also, the sauce for the recipe was quite different and it had sesame seeds which is one of my favorite seeds in the sauce. Noodles, fried rice, and pasta; are something that is perfect for weeknight dinners and in our family, they come under the comfort food category. If going Indian, my family would call Thayir saadham (yogurt and rice) or V en Pongal , the comfort food....
I consider Ver Kadalai Chutney to be the quickest, to go accompaniment to dosai or idli, or a busy weeknight. Until 3 years back, I had never eaten peanut chutney. When I went to India, my parents’ neighbor, who is an excellent cook, made me several interesting Andhra dishes for breakfast. Almost all her breakfasts will have the peanut chutney as a side, and I fell in love with it....
Xni Pec Salsa literally translates to ‘Dog’s Nose’ in the Mayan language. The salsa is so hot that we all end up having a wet nose just like the dog’s. Having said that I have to say that the Xni Pec Salsa or Habanero Salsa, is so flavorful that you will end up coming back for more and more, in spite of having the whole mouth on fire. We decided to eat Mexican for dinner last night....
Achari Gobhi is a delicious curry made with cauliflower / Gobhi simmered in freshly ground spice mixture. Serve it with roti or Dal Chawal (Dal and rice) to make it a comforting meal. Cauliflower is a vegetable liked by all in my house and I cook with it frequently. This specific curry - Achari Gobhi is something that I have never heard of until I made it this time. When discussing various recipes to cook with cauliflower in one of the online forums, someone had mentioned Achari Gobi....
Khaliat Nahal, or the Honeycomb Bun, is a common Middle Eastern confectionery that is typically filled and then glazed with sweet syrup. Also called Bee’s Hive Bun, there are savory versions of the bun as well (which was what I made). A delicious Paneer / Cheese stuffed Savory bread shaped like a Honeycomb. These easy-to-eat pull-apart rolls are perfect as an appetizer or as a side with soup. This recipe for Khaliat Nahal makes about 18 small buns that can be easily peeled off and eaten....
This Kadalai Kurma dish would be a very good combination not only with chapatti, but also with rice, puttu, Idiayappam, or dosai. This dish is an excellent way to repurpose leftover sundal. Yesterday was Saraswathi Pooja, and traditionally, as an offering, we make the karuppu kadalai sundal. I had so much leftover from that sundal yesterday that I had to make something to use it up. I have never made Kadalai Kurma before....
Karamani Vellam Sundal is one of the common sweet sundal prepared during Navarathri for neivedhyam. It’s made using Karamani and Jaggery syrup. Karamani Vellam Sundal is my favorite sundal among all the sundal varieties. As a kid, I used to wait for the day my mother or grandmother would make this sundal for me. Last year, for Navarathri, I almost used the same recipe to make a sweet sundal from whole green gram or whole moong....
Just the name of the drink, Mango Mastani, makes me want to make a trip down to India and try it at the Mastani stores found all around the streets of Pune, Maharashtra. We are not big fans of blended drinks in my family, and my boys would rather eat fruit than drink juice. So why would I go through the task of making a fruit drink when they don’t really care about it?...
Onion and Poppy Seed Pletzel is a European flatbread similar to Focaccia. It is commonly referred to as the Onion Bread Board and can be found in bakeries in NYC. Onion and Poppy Seed Pletzel or Onion Bread Board is a kind of Jewish Flatbread. It is an old Eastern European recipe that can still be found in some New York City bakeries. They are commonly referred to as the Onion board or the Onion Bread Board as they are baked as a flat slab and sold as a board....
We all need these comforting Cheesy Smashed Potatoes to begin or end the week. These Cheesy Smashed Red Potatoes are a very easy-to-make side dish for a Holiday dinner. Potatoes are such a versatile vegetable, and it is one of the best choices for appetizers. There are not many people who don’t like potatoes, and when cooking for a crowd, this is definitely a choice of vegetable to go. My little one is a die-hard fan of potatoes and would love for me to make them every day....
Paruppu Thogayal also called the paruppu thuvayal is a delicious side dish made with lentils and basic spices. It is one of the best-accompanied recipes with Milagu Kuzhambu. I love to learn different combo meals or dishes that go well together. I grew up in a household where we were very specific about the dishes that they made together. My father was a big lover of South Indian meals, and my mother made those dishes very often....
Shakkarpara or Shankarpali are sugar coated diamond shaped biscuits that have been my favorite as a child to this date. Enjoy this traditional sweet for this Diwali. Shakkarpara are sugar coated diamond shaped biscuits that I grew up eating. I used to really enjoy eating this as a child and I thought what better to make this for my kids for Diwali? There are two versions of Shankarpali that we can find....
This chewy and delicious Thengai Burfi / Coconut Burfi is made with grated fresh coconut, sugar, and some nuts to flavor. A quick and easy dessert that is ready in no time. This is one of the other sweets that I prepared for Diwali this year. Making this was a last-minute decision and made almost out of impulse, but I am glad I did. My little one who is a little choosy about what he eats loved this Thengai burfi/ coconut burfi....
We successfully finished our month-long Baking Marathon, and it was a great experience. This marathon gave me a chance to try my hands on several new breads and bakes. The bookmarks list has grown so much that we need a marathon to make those. Thanks to the BM team and Srivalli for making this happen month after month. I have the complete list of all the bakes that I have done this month....
This Apple Smoothie is yet another apple recipe to enjoy the fall season. I love to give my kids milkshakes or smoothies in the evening, just as a change from their regular routine of milk. Adding fruits to the milk always perks up my kids. Also, giving the kids smoothies for their evening run keeps them filled up until dinner. I have added cardamom to give a slightly different flavor. If you are not a big fan of cardamom, you could always use cinnamon or leave it out....
Arancini or Italian Rice Balls are a very popular street food in Sicily. The classic traditional deep-fried recipe gets a makeover by being air-fried to make it a healthier and guilt-free snack/appetizer. Arancini, or in simpler words, the Italian Rice balls or Risotto Balls, is a common street food in Sicily. Although a very popular street food, it is a great recipe for an appetizer or a small plate....
