Italian Gremolata Recipe / Zesty Italian Herb Sauce Recipe

Italian Gremolata hails traditionally from Italy. This is basically a condiment, which is conventionally made with fresh green herbs, garlic, olive oil, with lots of lemon zest and juice, incorporated to add a punch to this Sauce.

10 Must Eat Food In New York City As A Tourist ~ Part I

This is the first part of my list of 10 Must eat food in New York City. I have always seen this, food is the only thing that gives you an instant insight into the cultural background of a place. You know someone even without getting into a conversation. I find it as interesting to learn how a certain dish made its way into the very fabric of a community as much as I love to visit places which have stood tall bearing testimony to years of work which shaped a country. The vibrant mix of cultures in New York City results in numerous dishes which is not possible for any tourist to sample in a small amount of time. I was here for four days, yet I missed many of the must eat New York City Special Food. So this is actually a list which is mandatory in the long list of Must have. I arrived at this list after long hours of research through the internet, reading local newspapers and magazines and chatting with fellow culinary bloggers based here. You are most welcome to add your list in the comments below. Also my choice was based on my dietary preferences so please feel free to add on to this list.

Black Sesame Seeds Ice~Cream (Rose Scented) ~ Happy Halloween

The door bell buzzes and buzzes again and again. That's not usual who could it be. I literally rush down the stairs and just manage to prevent a trip over while missing a stair. As is common in these occasions, the heart pounds and thumps as if there is no tomorrow. Oh dear, I almost feel my heart in my throat. I open the door to a dozen giggly kids who in unison shout out "Happy Halloween", trying their best to make spooky faces at me. I did forget it is Halloween and unlike the times when I was growing up, kids these days, no matter in which part of the world they are celebrate Halloween. I look adorably at their sweet faces, some smeared with charcoal paste, some having scary eyes as an after effect of smudged kohl and some have made good use of their Mum's lipstick to give the impression of blood. Those fangs which the dear little boy dressed as a vampire is wearing is overtly cute. It's such a happy feeling to see these little darlings, trying to look scary. I send them off after filling their jack o lantern printed buckets or small hollow crafted pumpkins with chocolates and toffees.

Thai Beetroot Coconut Soup Recipe ~ Pink For October Series

We, women, have been constituted in such a manner that we tend to lose ourselves in taking care of others. As daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, aunts, grandmothers we have an inherent quality of putting others before self, especially when it comes to family. Well, though it is hard to generalize and there will be exceptions to this, I am till date, yet to come across a dame who will say me first. When I sit back and think, I am made to believe that when Almighty was creating a girl, more love, care and sensitivity went into that creation. That's why we are what we are, special, epitome of love and kindness with a heart so giving, patient and nurturing. Not that I have not seen men who have these qualities ( was daughter to one and now married to one ), but again they are not at large, somewhat a rare gem to find and treasure, but not impossible to find. In this case you have to look high and low but when it comes to a lady, you will surely bump into one with soft, gentle, loving demeanor and who will put family before self, quite frequently.

Quick Mushroom Corn Green Curry Recipe / Oilfree Vegan Green Curry ~ Go Green

Ever since the festive season commenced, indulgence was served generally on all platters. Not that festivities have ended yet, but with so much of goodies having gone in, the tummy did scream for some rejuvenation. Every year whenever a little detox does the the internal system of our body good, we turn a "Go Green" page in my family. After the elaborate festive fares, quick fixes, takes over the kitchen menu. But please do not think that I will be posting anything mundane or boring here. Even these quick dishes have an element of fun and adventure in them.

Strawberry Italian Cream Soda Mocktail Recipe ~ Creating My Own Igloo

Shriek!!!! Scream !!!! This cannot be true. " Temperatures across the UAE will peak at around 45C over the next few days, but the soaring humidity will make it feel as if it's, wait for it.... a whooping 64 degrees." Information courtesy What's On , Dubai. Please please Mr.S can we take a holiday to a place of cooler clime? He frowns and with the sternest no looks away into his news paper, too annoyed to be called out of his morning ritual of piping hot South Indian filter coffee and the freshest edition of Gulf News, which he, I think reads line by line. I get up looking for Mum-in-law, my saviour in situations like this on most earlier occasions. She, too, is busy in her morning invocation of the Almighty and I meekly recede back into my own cocoon. But I am so unable to concentrate on anything. The next best saviour after my Mum-in-law has always been the refrigerator. On occasions such as this, when things don't go my way, a peek into the refrigerator has always ended, with me cooking up a fire (oh no nothing hot seems to feel good this morning) or alternately digging into some comfort food or chocolates sitting pretty in my refrigerator. Oh dear gadget friend, please pull me out of my despondency this morning. I open the door of the refrigerator and the chill whiff coated with a white smoke that greets me is good enough to bring a kind of solace to me.

Instant Doughnuts Recipe ~ Celebrating Valentine's Day With A Platter of Edible Love

Whenever someone has asked me, what is love, I have always said the same thing. I have deciphered love as that feeling, which you have for someone, for whom you want the best every single time, worry about their well being, want them to be happy, hale and hearty and in any given situation think about them before you think about yourself. The people who feature in priority in your prayers are the ones you love, is what I believe. 

Masala Prawn Popcorn Recipe

It's the weekend and my time with little D. We do are Mummy daughter things mostly on the weekends. But this weekend my little darling is down with a nasty cold. To make things worse, the anti histamine syrup prescribed by her doctor is making her drowsy and grumpy. My poor darling has lost her priceless smile as she is tucked away under her favourite tinker bell blanket, clinging to her tinker bell doll, as if almost hoping that this fairy doll will sprinkle some magical powder on her which will make her feel better. For a mother nothing can be more heart wrenching than seeing her little one unwell, even if it's just a common cold.

Garbanzo Beans, Apricot, Dill Meatballs Recipe | Vegan Meatballs | Kabuli Chana, Khubani, Suva Meatballs Recipe

In a world full of different people, we do not realise how many have touched our lives, influenced our thinking and shaped the person we are today. Even before we realise they have encircled us with a whiff of beautiful thoughts, sprinkled invaluable ways to improve ourselves and we without even realising, have been imbibing a little from each of them and evolving into who we are at this moment. But, that point of time, when this realisation dawns on us, we should without much ado, thank these priceless individuals and treasure them in our lives.

Keema / Qeema, Sabut Malka Masoor, Methi Biryani / Chicken Mince, Whole Red Lentils, Green Fenugreek Biryani ~ My Ode To The Ingenious Chef Sara Riaz

The Biryani love affair is growing stronger and stronger with each passing day in my family. Whether it's that special meal in the weekend, or that one symbolic dish to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or the star dish at any family get together or house parties and even for potlucks, the one dish that is chosen with total majority is Biryani. My eternal gratitude to the queen who first had Biryani cooked for her famished soldiers when she visited their barracks. This one pot dish which houses the flavour of each of the ingredient you would have used, with full vigor to reveal to you a decadent gush of aroma, the moment you remove the lid and allow the fragrant smoke to take over your senses and of those with you at the dinning table.

VEGAN LEMON MUFFINS WITH COCONUT CRANBERRY CREAM ~ PINK FOR OCTOBER SERIES

Whenever I feel the spirit of my home needs to be uplifted, nothing works better than flushing the house with the delicious aromas of baking. It's true, I have seen a smile on the faces of my loved ones as the chocolaty, honey laced sometimes citrusy, sometimes spicy notes envelope the house and along with it the senses of its inmates. I always tell my friends that baking is therapy for the entire family. Baking peps my family up in an eager anticipation, what to expect popping out of the oven. The fragrant notes result many a times in, guess the flavour game and it's so much fun. These enchanting nuances about food makes me realise that food is much much more than merely a way of sustaining our body for survival. The more I discover different facets of food, the more fascinated I am and more eager to discover this magical world of endless possibilities. 

STEAMED FISH IN ARGENTINE CHIMICHURRI SAUCE - HAPPY BEAT SERIES

Yum

Today in the HAPPY BEATS series I talk about the importance of physical activity and its benefits to heart health. We all are very much aware of the rewards of physical activity to our body and whatever I am about to write here you all are very familiar with. I will still put them down because although we know it, most of us do not implement it in our day to day life, hiding behind the excuse of having no time.

RAIBI / MOROCCAN YOGURT DRINK WITH MANGO GINGER, COCONUT AND FRESH ROSE PETALS FLOAT - MY DATE WITH BOGART AND CASABLANCA

Yum

I am in Casablanca, no not the movie but this buzzing with smiles city in Morocco which has me thinking about the Oscar winning movie with the (gasp!!! , scream ) hero Humphery Bogart. I stand and take a deep breath, close my eyes and instantly flashes from the movie engulf me. It's been many years since I have seen the movie umpteen, no lost count number of times. But today as I stand in Casablanca with my eyes closed, the sultry sea breeze caressing the strands of hair across my face, oblivious of the crowds nudging me slightly as they break the din and walk past me, all I can remember is the love between the two lead characters of the movie and oh there goes my heart on a thump thump spree.

PESHAWARI LOBIA/BLACK EYED BEANS - FLAVOURS FROM TRADITION RICH PESHAWAR

PESHAWARI LOBIA/BLACK EYED BEANS/ BLACK EYED PEAS RECIPE :

This recipe is from Peshawar. Peshawar is the capital city of  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa formerly known as the North West Frontier Province, one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Here most people have earnestly preserved their age old rituals and many homes still welcome you with the rich cultural heritage which is woven integrally into the fabric of Peshawar. I did not have the good fortune to visit this beautiful city, yet, but the kind of reception I got from my Pahshtun friend in Dubai, I can only imagine the love and traditions which I would get to experience had I actually visited Peshawar.