Navratri has officially begun! Many of you know, I enjoy this time of year very much. It’s the perfect time to enjoy with family and friends, not to mention indulge in delicious food and treats!
Navratri, or “Nine nights” is a festival which marks the onset of autumn. The 9 days of Navratri are dedicated to the worship of 9 forms of the Goddess – Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalaratri, Mahagauri, Durga. It is a festival of worship, dance and music. For 9 days, people dress up in beautiful clothes and jewelry. Many people keep a fast for Navratri. From garba dance to Durga Puja rituals, Navratri is celebrated in different ways across India. The festival of Navratri is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals. It is also celebrated as the triumph of good over evil.
Here are some suggestions for recipes to try during this auspicious time period:
Many of you have questions about which appliances I use when cooking. Most of the questions have been about the blender, grinder and food processer I use. Using quality appliances can be a great help when cooking.
I am very happy with my KitchenAid 5-Speed blender and have been using the same one for the past 5 years. It still works great. I use this blender for almost everything, such as blending daal for Dosa, Pakoras, Vada, chutneys, and drinks with crushed ice.
When I need to grind in small quantities, I love to use my Magic Bullet. It’s simple to use works efficiently, and best of all it is easy to clean.
Additionally, a small KRUPS GX4100 Electric Spice, Herb and Coffee Grinder is very handy for grinding spices. I love this so much I have two of them! One is purely for grinding spices and the other is for grinding nuts and cardamom.
My Cuisinart 7-Cup Food Processor is the other small appliance I use frequently. It works best if you need to blend coarsely. This appliance is not good for blending anything smooth and pasty. It comes with a few attachments like a shredder and slicer. I do use these attachments when I need to slice or shred in large quantitie. I also use this food processer for making dough. It is especially good for making firm dough when you make puris or matris. I have had this food processer for at least 10 years and it is still in great condition!
The most common question I get from my viewers is if they can bake instead of fry. Traditionally Indian cooking is done over stove top or burner. Food is grilled, sautéed, steamed, boiled or fried. Likewise, most of the Indian breads are made over a skillet or they are fried. An exception is naan or tandoori roti that is cooked in a tandoor, which is different than a western style oven.
I have tried baking many of the dishes that I usually fry. I tried baking khasta kachori, samosas, pinwheel samosas, and different kinds of pakoras. When baking these items, I found that that taste and appearance of the dish were vastly changed. These dishes simply did not appear to be authentic. Additionally, when baking you have to use more butter, oil, or shortening in the dough to make it crispier. If you want your dishes to maintain some of their taste, I would suggest sticking to frying.
However, you can try pastry dough for making samosas or kachoris. This is a huge time saver, but it will taste like spicy pastry not bad just different. One advantage to baking is that it does not leave any leftover oil. When you fry you have leftover oil that is an issue with me as I have to find a way to dispose the leftover oil. Especially because I don’t reuse the oil after I have fried in it once.
Some of the appetizers for small gatherings or parties I like make in advance include samosas, pakoras, pinwheel samosas and kachoris. I typically reheat them in the oven before serving to enjoy free time with my company. When reheating pre-made items, they are good but they lose some crispness & don’t taste the same as freshly fried appetizers.
While limiting fried foods is recommended, I believe it is okay to enjoy these tasty delights as a treat once in a while!
It’s hard to believe but summer is around the corner. It’s the perfect time to host a fun outdoor get together. I like to serve fun street foods at these types of events. Delicious foods combined with some fun games – what can be better than that? My grand kids love when I plan these types of outings. Here are my suggestions for a different menu. I picked some items from different parts of India.
Jhaal Muri
This puffed rice snack is a popular street food of Kolkata.
Mirchi Vada (Chili Fritter)
This is a spicy hot snack – a favorite in Rajasthan.
Dabeli Spicy Potato Sandwich
This delicious sandwich is a great “to-go” snack which is popular with street vendors in Mumbai.
Aloo Tikki (Potato Patties)
Everyone is familiar with this street food from North India.
Pani Puri
This item is popular all over India and known by different names. I suggest buying the readymade puris and make the pani using my recipe.
Kulfi or Falooda Kulfi
No one can say no to this dessert!
Strawberry – Orange Popsicle
Try this natural healthy recipe. Kids love this!
Mint lemonade
This is the perfect summer drink – delicious and refreshing.
There is nothing better than a relaxed afternoon with friends enjoying a cup of tea and tasty snacks. Show your friends you appreciate them and have them over for high tea. It’s a great way to beat an afternoon slump and it’s also an excuse to enjoy life’s little pleasures with friends! These snacks below are simple and can be prepared in advance. Try these snacks as they are sure to satisfy everyone’s palate.
Chickpea and Spinach spread
This is a healthy and delicious spread. Serve with toasted pita bread or crackers. It can also be served as dip with fresh veggies.
Potato skins or Potato bowls
Boiled potatoes filled with spicy chickpeas.
Bhel Puri
This snack is popular with street vendors in Mumbai. If you enjoy savory, this is the snack for you.
Dhokla
This is a traditional Gujrati snack that is mildly spiced.
Carrot Burfi
This is a classic dessert. This burfi is packed with all the goodness of carrots.
Cucumber cooler
Try this refreshing and soothing drink on a hot day. This drink also can be prepared a day in advance.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the great mothers out there!
As you know, this Sunday is the big day! I’m sure you are in the midst of planning something special for Mother’s Day. Now that Spring is officially here and the weather has been great here in San Diego, I think a fun idea is to celebrate with a picnic. It’s an easy and simple way to enjoy the abundant sunshine and fresh air. My grandkids especially enjoy picnics because they can run around and use up their energy! We enjoying playing frisbee, soccer, and most importantly munching on delicious treats. When my grandkids get together there is always the sound of laughter. It means so much to me that I get to watch them. It’s the best excuse to bring the family together.
Here are some ideas of delicious munchies to bring to a picnic:
Bread Pakoras
Puries rolled with Chatpate Aloo (spicy potato):
Puri
Chatpate Aloo
Masala Mathri
You can pair the above with a variety of chips, cookies and fruit. I also like to bring homemade lemonade to cool off.
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I first tried Phirni a few years back while visiting my family in India. Phirni is considered to be a popular dessert, but it was the first time I had ever heard of it! My sister took me to a very upscale restaurant in Delhi and we decided to order Phirni for dessert. When the dessert came out, I was speechless. It looked superb and the presentation was excellent. It was served in an earthen bowl beautifully decorated and garnished with saffron and sliced pistachios. I was reluctant to try it out, but my sister, knowing my love of cooking, insisted I would love it as it is similar to a rice kheer. But instead of using rice grain as you would in rice kheer, in Phirni you use ground rice. The texture was very creamy, similar to a pudding.
I asked the restaurant for the recipe and tried making Phirni several times when I returned to the US. However, I was unable to master the same texture. It tasted fine, but it just wasn’t the experience I had at the restaurant in India. I had fallen in love with this dish and just had to master it! Finally, I figured out that since Phirni is traditionally served in an earthen bowl, the bowl absorbs some of the water, making it more firm (like JELLO). I knew it would be difficult to duplicate so I decided to give the recipe my own twist. I tried adding different fruits with it. It turned out best using peaches. It is very refreshing and great for summer.
I will be posting this recipe soon, so stay tuned! Until then, happy cooking!
Many of you have expressed interest in my suggestions for daily meals. Below are some suggestions for dinner for the week. These suggestions are efficient and time-saving, as I know how hectic it can get with busy schedules!
Saturday is a good day to begin planning meals for the upcoming week so you can plan to do your grocery shopping and make sure you have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Then on Sunday, you can begin preparations by chopping all the vegetables (aside from potatoes as they do not hold up too well). Another time-saving tip is to freeze hari cilantro chutney in ice cube trays. This is a convenient way to store chutney. Also, tamarind chutney can be refrigerated for about two months.
There are some dishes that can be prepared well in advance (about two days prior to serving). You can always make changes to dishes prepared ahead of time so it does not seem like leftovers.
One challenge I’ve faced in preparing meals is making dishes suitable to each person’s taste. For example, I prefer spicy food, while my husband enjoys mild dishes. What I do is prepare mild dishes, but then will also serve with ginger relish, green chili pickle, or any pickle or chutney.
For daily meals I prefer one gravy dish with another vegetable dish. I also serve with plain yogurt or raita, roti or paratha. For your convenience, you can always serve ready-made parathas.
Sample Menu #1
For this menu, you can prepare enough dal and beans to last two days. The first day you can serve dal with just tempering. You can change the daal up the second day by adding zucchini tadka. With green beans, on the second day, you can add them to make a sandwich or wrap, using the left over rotis or parathas.
Toor Dal
Green Beans and Peas
Vegetable Raita
Plain White Rice
Ginger Relish
Roti
Toor dal (arhar dal)
Green beans with Peas
plain rice
raita
ginger relish
rotis
Sample Menu #2
You can make enough sprouted moong and aloo gobi for two days. You can change the sprouts by adding in plain rice by tempering the oil with asafetida, cumin seeds and whole red chili. You can use the left over aloo gobi by making a sandwich or wrap using the left over parathas.
Sprouted Moong Salad
Mattar Paneer
Aloo Gobi
Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Aloo Paratha
Sprouted moong salad
Matar paneer
Aloo gobi
plain yogurt with salt and dry roasted cumin powder
plain parathas
Sample Menu #3
For this menu, you can prepare enough dal and cabbage with peas last two days. You can mix cabbage with plain rice this combination taste great.
Moong Dal Spinach
Bhindi Masala
Cabbage With Peas
Plain White Rice
Roti
Moong dal with spinach
bhindi masala
cabbage with peas
plain rice
roti
Sample Menu #4
This is good for a weekend meal and can be served as a lunch or dinner.
Pav Bhaji
Lentil Vegetable Soup
Pav bhaji
Lentil vegetable soup
Sample Menu #5
This is great for a weekend brunch.
Aloo Paratha
Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Tomato Chutney
Aloo paratha
plain yogurt
tomato chutney
These are some easy and healthy suggestions for quick convenient meals.
Next time I can give some suggestions for get together hoping this will be a help.
I personally think that deciding what to have for lunch can be difficult. It’s important to have variety. Of course it also important that should be is nutritious, healthy and we look forward to eating! Something easy to prepare the night before is an added benefit. Here are some of my go-to suggestions for an easy and delicious lunch!
Cream Cheese Sandwiches These are my favorite not to mention super simple to make. If you are doing these for kids, you may skip the ginger and green chili.
Black Eyed Peas Salad This is a popular salad among my friends especially for a takeout lunch. Often I use this salad to make a wrap that makes for a very satisfying lunch. To make a wrap I use tortillas or left over plain parathas. Simply spread the hari cilantro chutney over tortillas or parathas and put about 1/4 cup of salad length wise leaving about 1 inch from the top and fold it tightly like burrito.
Masala Khichdi
: This is the ultimate healthy comfort food. Khichdi is basically prepared with rice and lentils. Adding a few vegetables with spicy tomato seasoning makes khichdi a complete meal.
Yogurt rice or curd rice This is a popular South Indian dish. This dish tastes especially great on hot summer days.
Spinach ParathaThese parathas can be prepared two to three days in advance. Add a side of spicy pickle and you have a great lunch!
Turmeric (haldi), the wonder spice, is finally gaining popularity in the west and many are recognizing its health benefits. You may have noticed many people discussing various recipes consisting of turmeric as a main ingredient. Recently someone asked me what a turmeric latte is and it got me thinking about the benefits of turmeric. I did some research and a big smile came to my face when my husband, Alex, questioned me about how turmeric powder (often considered not very tasty!) could be turned into a delicious latte. Turmeric is not what you would expect in a gourmet coffee drink!
In Indian cooking, turmeric is one of the most essential spices and is used in almost every dish. Turmeric powder in milk, or “haldi ka doodh”, is a great home remedy drink.
To make “Haldi ka doodh”, mix in one fourth teaspoon of turmeric powder in about 6oz of warm milk.
Our mothers and grandmothers forced us to drink this unpleasant medicine and now we are imposing it on our kids and grandkids. Turmeric can cure many things, including cough, congestion, colds, aches and pains. It is also used as an anti-inflammatory medicine. In India, turmeric is treated as a magic potion for many ailments!
Another good way to use fresh turmeric is as a relish. Fresh turmeric is now readily available in grocery stores. Turmeric looks like a small piece of ginger and is orange.
Here is the recipe for Turmeric Relish:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh turmeric washed peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh ginger washed peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method
Place all the ingredient in a glass jar.
Relish will be ready in 2-3 hours.
Relish can be stored in refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Raksha Bandhan is a festival that signifies the beautiful and loving relationship between brothers and sisters. My family celebrates Raksha Bandhan with great enthusiasm.
For those who don’t know about this holiday, “Raksha” means protection, and “Bandhan” means binding. Sisters tie a thread called Rakhi (like a friendship band) on their brother’s wrist and pray for their well-being. And in return brothers promise their sisters that they will always take care of them. Traditionally, brothers will give a gift to their sisters and sisters will treat their brothers with sweets. Afterwards there is a feast like other holiday.
I have two sons and no daughters. They celebrate Raksha Bandhan with their cousins. Now each of my sons has a daughter and a son. My sons, their cousins and my grandkids celebrate this holiday together.
My nieces and granddaughter like to make their own Rakhies. They take great pride in making them by hand. Some of their Rakhies are simply weaving different colored threads together and others are fancier with decoration like beads.
Raksha Bandhan is on August 13th and we will have a family brunch at my son’s home. I have been requested not to cook. They want me to relax and enjoy the grandkids. This sounds good to me but I can’t stop myself from wanting to make something special. I am not sure what I will make. But I am going to surprise them with a treat.
It happens to all of us, unexpected guests arrive and we often insist that they stay for a meal, whether it’s dinner, lunch or brunch. The only problem is what to make and serve in a hurry? Or there are days when we are not feeling up to cooking for ourselves and yet want a home-cooked meal. How do we keep ourselves prepared for these situations?
It helps to have a few dishes semi-ready that we prepare in advance and keep refrigerated or frozen.
These are some of my suggestions:
Paneer cubed and lightly fried. You can freeze them for months or refrigerate up to a week.
Tomato puree. Just boil with light salt, cook until it is pasty and freeze using ice cube trays. This comes in handy for making a gravy based dish.
Dahi vada can be frozen prior to the soaking step and will keep for a few weeks. When you are ready to serve, defrost just enough vadas and soak in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. Vadas are ready to be used.
Frozen Muthias are always very handy.
How about freezing half-fried samosas!
Cabbage kofta. The kofta itself freezes well and when you are ready to serve, just prepare the gravy and your dish is ready. This is a real treat for any visitor or just for your family at home.
Many different desserts can be prepared well in advance, such as Gulab Jamuns, Rasgullas, Rasmali, and Burfies. Make sure you are freezing them in small batches.
For side dishes, cabbage with peas, green beans and peas, paneer tikka masala, and palak paneer are some of the dishes that freeze well. Remember to always freeze in small portions.
Chutneys! I highly recommend having these ready as they come in handy. Preparing the snack becomes so easy, if the chutneys are readily available.
Hari cilantro chutney can be frozen easily freeze using ice cube trays.
Tamarind sweet and sour chutney can be refrigerated as it stays well for a few months.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are around the corner and this time of year is all about family, friends, and good cheer! I love the holidays as they create positive energy, happiness, and gives us an excuse to get in touch with friends and family. I like to visit friends and family this time of year with a small gift. I like gifts that come from the heart. For me, nothing shows love like something home cooked. This year I wanted to make something simple and easy, but also something that would have a long shelf life. I decided to make spicy cashews and almond brittle. These snacks are perfect gifts during the holiday season.
