The more I look at a bunch of strawberries, the more I realize how aspirational the fruit is! It looks glamourous but has such an accommodative space for other flavours. Don’t you think?! First bite into a raw, plump strawberry creates so much confusion in the brain. A lot of questions. Bright red colour, juicy…
Instant noodles not so much. Instant gratification – YES!
The only instant thing about 2-minute noodles in my kitchen is the instant gratification it brings. I don’t find myself indulging in them very often except when I don’t have the time to cook myself a proper meal. Or just on days, I think I am too busy to cook – for most of these…
Winter warmers: Whole-wheat Beetroot Buns
Vegetables and fruits in my opinion, are probably the best pointers towards seasonal change and finding beetroot in the weekly vegetable haul, means only one thing – that winter is here. Beetroot also in a lot of ways is a marker of my development in the kitchen. From eating it only as chuqanadar-matar made in…
When life gives you lemons – make pickle two ways.
An early morning pickling expedition came by for mainly two reasons. First and more importantly, I was looking for ways to save these aromatics from rotting. Second, a desperate yearning to indulge in some culinary activity outside the daily routine meals. Things turned interesting when midway between making the turmeric root and ginger pickle, I…
Making friends with Tangra Maccher Jhol.
Nandini sent Begun Tangra (fish curry with brinjal) for dinner last night. I was drained with working round the clock and the comfort of home-cooked food was just how I wanted to end my day. It really humbles me when people call me over for food or cook for me, because I believe that one’s…
Wish you a Crabby – Bakhried.
Yet another Bakhried away from home, yet no loss of the sense of Barkat the festival brings. Being able to feed someone is truly a blessing or Barkat (Arabic). And as much hate Bakhried garners all across, it resonates with me because of its community care aspect more than anything else. I did not cook…
Till fish do us apart.
If my father was sitting with me for what could have been his birthday dinner… he would be smiling with a lot of content for obvious reasons. The spread as you can see includes all his cherished seasonal produce including the Dussehri mangoes, fried fish and obviously tempered rice. We would have then hurried the…
Dal ki Dulhan
If you grew up in a middle class – north Indian Muslim household, you probably know at least one Dulhan personally. An urdu term for a newly-wed woman, used and over-used in their address by the saas or the mother-in-law, forever more. My nani’s daughter- in- law was the Dulhan in our house and remained…
My desi gherkins.
Pickle, Gherkin or just Pickled Cucumber- depending upon where you are in the world; are sandwich staples and side accompaniments mostly. Unless you obviously want to gobble that entire thing down on its own. But as far as I can remember, my first interaction with gherkins was in first year of college, in Delhi, when…
Oats and Sattu Pancakes
Oats and Sattu pancakes are a healthy choice of breakfast alternate, which can be put together in 15 minutes.
It is a recipe that I perfected during the quarantine days amid the coronavirus lock-down and I’m certain that this will continue to be a favourite in days when I have to rush and work out of office.
Sil-Batán 