Crisper weather is here and the season of comfort food is upon us. Growing up in an Indian vegetarian house has left its mark on me and my idea of comfort food is not the norm. For me this vividly yellow buttermilk curry is what I craved whenever I missed home. It is the dish…
We all have dishes that were special for birthdays. These chickpeas are what I requested for dinner on my sixteenth birthday. A couple of my girlfriends came over and my mother also made puffy, fried bread called batura that is the traditional accompaniment. I was in heaven. Half a world away my husband’s standard brunch…
I know the weekend feels far away but it is never too early to start thinking about what you’re going to make for brunch! Akuri is an unusual, Parsi egg dish that I had on my very first trip to Mumbai. The Parsis are originally from Iran. They follow the Zoarastrian faith and were persecuted…
When my family and I were visiting Calcutta in April, we discovered a gold mine at Arjun’s grandfather’s home – his grandmother’s old recipe book. Written in her own hand on yellowed pages, it contained a number of Didu’s signature recipes. I was ecstatic to find this culinary treasure. Arjun’s Didu was a phenomenal cook…
On our numerous trips to India, my husband and I are always wowed by the kebabs. Whether it is a seekh kebab made with brightly spiced minced lamb or a tender chicken boti grilled perfectly, we can’t get enough. On our last trip in April, we had the good fortune to stay at the ITC…
Sadly, my mom’s visit drew to a close this week. She has been a tireless, patient grandmother, not only reveling in my son’s every action but also cooking all our favorite foods. Time to return the favor. I turned to one of my all time favorite, fairly quick and yet delicious Indian main courses –…
Typically, Indian lentils bring to mind something a little heavy, creamy and hearty. This dish is the absolute opposite of that – light, tangy and refreshing. Growing up dal was not my favorite (sacrilege considering I grew up in an Indian vegetarian home) but whenever my mother made moong dal chaat I would willingly gobble…
Okay folks, here is a recipe that is going to make use of that beautiful garam masala you (hopefully) just made. My mother would prepare these red beans at least twice a month when we were growing up. They are robust, spicy and easy enough for a week night dinner. Although the dish is totally…
It is the start of summer and that means grilling season is upon us! We had our first cook-out of the year last night. Our sweet neighbors came over for a belated thank-you dinner for keeping an eye on our house while we were on a month long adventure in Paris and India. I…