Dosa is a crispy crepe made from fermented rice and urad daal (a type of split legume) that has been soaked and ground. It is a popular dish in Southern India and is served with a potato filling, sambar (a vegetable and daal soup), and an assortment of chutneys. You can find dosa and idli […]
Sev Burfi was my favorite burfi growing up in Lucknow, India. It is traditionally made with khoa, milk cooked down until thick and almost dry. I use ricotta instead since khoa can be hard to find. The main ingredient, of course, are sev, which are very thin noodles made from chickpea flour. Some restaurants fry […]
Turnip is one of those vegetables that most people ignore at the grocery store. We don’t know what to do with them besides roasting them. Since turnips have little flavor, the spices in a curry sauce boost their taste. My mom would sometimes add them to a meat dish such as goat curry, which tasted […]
Zucchini squash is one of the vegetables available throughout the year. I plant several squash varieties in my California garden and usually have an abundant supply from March until October. I freeze some for winter, some in chunks for roasting, and some grated to add to Daals and to make Kofta. This recipe makes a […]
I love to grow eggplant in my garden and usually plant at least two varieties – the long Japanese variety, which is excellent for stir-frying, and the round globe one, which I use for making Bharta. Eggplants are one of the easier annual vegetables to grow and have a long season in Southern California. I […]
On the fourth day of my Paleo diet, I knew I had to eat something different than eggs for breakfast. I was craving something sweet and it happened to be Valentines Day so I had to cook something special for my husband who was also getting tired of the same old eggs. I played around […]
Khichri is one of the most beloved Indian comfort foods, often enjoyed for its simplicity and soothing qualities. Made by cooking a combination of daal (lentils) and rice, Khichri is typically one of the first solid foods given to babies. Its easy digestibility also makes it popular among the elderly. While any combination of daal […]
Surprise guests, unexpected visitors, or hungry kids with nothing in the fridge? Egg Curry is the perfect dish to fall back on. It was a staple in my childhood, with my mother making various versions—sometimes with sliced eggs, other times with whole eggs, and during winter, she’d add fresh-shelled peas to the gravy. I prefer […]
My family always kept vrat or fasting during the nine days of Navratri when I was growing up in India. As kids, we looked forward to it because the food was so different and delicious. I can recall my mom making tangy potatoes served with buckwheat puris fried in ghee. Buckwheat, called kuttu in Hindi, does […]
Phara is a boiled dumpling made with daal and rice flour or wheat flour, a very creative way to use protein rich daal in a lean, healthy dish. Phara can be served as a meal, snack or side dish. Indian vegetarian food is so innovative! Phara is not a common Indian dish, made only in […]
