Kolkata Ghugni Recipe / Kolkata Style Yellow Peas Curry Recipe ~ Just Recipes

At any and every street corner of Kolkata you will find these bright yellow peas curry in a huge deep plate, from which the Ghugni seller will scoop out a ladle full of Ghugni into a paper or leaf, shaped like a bowl and then garnish it with a whole lot of condiments and very skinny noodle shaped lentil fritters known as sev. Honestly what he serves is truly truly lip smacking delicious. But you can make Ghugni at home too for your parties. During Holi, just picking up a bowl of Gugni and digging into it gives a whole lot of satisfaction because Ghugni tastes just so delightful that you just cannot stop at one.

Navratri Special Meethi & Teekhi Chutney / Hot & Sweet Chutney / Coriander Green Chilli Peanut Spicy Chutney / Date Tamarind Sweet Chutney

Sharad Navratri has commenced this year. Different parts of India celebrate the festival in different ways. In the Northern part of India many devotees of the Goddess keep a day long fast. After prayers, veneration and offerings to the deity at sunset the fast is broken. Only certain types and categories of food are allowed to be eaten during this fast. Also determining  the exact ingredients which will make the dishes differs from family to family. For example some families do not eat Chutneys for these 9 days. However those who do ensure firstly that the Chutney is vegetarian, gluten free and comprises only the ingredients allowed during this fast.

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.

Chettinad Cauliflower Chukka Recipe / Spicy Dry Cauliflower Curry From Chettinad

I am an ardent lover of Chettinad Cuisine. For those of you who are not familiar, Chettinad Cuisine is the food that the Nattukotai Chettiar community from the Chettinad Region in the south Indian State of Tamil Nadu, cook in their home. This beautiful hamlet is not only known for its rich cultural heritage, ornate magnificent homes with large kitchens, but most importantly the Spice trade which thrived between the Chettiar community with countries like Burma, Java, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius in ancient times. No wonder their food is resplendent with taste and aroma infused by the use of these perfumed spices.

Sweet Pineapple Chutney Recipe

For Bengalis Chutney is always emotionally yours. Chutney not served or missed during the course of a grand meal, can result in a small heartbreak of the diner. Chutney is an integral part of a Bengali meal and without Chutney being served a Bengali feast remains incomplete. Whenever a meal for guests in a Bengali house is being planned Chutney, Papad, Mishti and Doi(Sweet Yogurt) are a must. Initially it was the tomato chutney which was omnipresent in all the platters and then came Mango, Dates, Mango Leather (Aam Shotto), Kamranga ( Star fruit), Chalta ( Elephant Apple), Pineapple etc. etc. until a brigade of Chutneys was formed and this kept on growing with each passing year. Ah!!! the taste of each of these relishes are still fresh on my taste buds even to this day.

Pista Gulkand Laddu Recipe / Dairy Free, No Cook, Pistachio & Rose Petals Sweet Preserve Bites / Vegan Pistachio & Rose Petals Preserve Sweets Recipe

I have been in a race with the Sun for many years now. That I rarely win the race is another thing. The Sun manages to beat me on most days, cause by the time I am waking up and stretching my lazy bones, he is outside my window winking at me and teasing me that while he has been up and shining, I am still struggling to wiggle myself out of those feather soft sheets. That feeling of just a few minutes more and then I will be "as fresh as a daisy", has neither ceased nor diminished from my school going days till now. Back then I used to think that feeling like this was exclusively for children, as I would always find an ear to ear smiling Mother with no traces of any "I want to sleep a little more" on her face, nudging me up awake every morning. I would think then that in mothers maybe that state of mind is non-existent, but nothing like that happened with me after I donned the role of a mother. I still struggle, every single day to tear my head away from those clouds of softness, waiting keenly for the weekends, when I thankfully don't have to race with the Sun.

Bengali Style Beetroot Chutney Recipe / Beetroot Relish In Bengali Style Recipe

Whenever my eyes gaze through the bountiful colours around, which the Creator keeps filling in, on this huge canvas called nature, I wonder what magic and love the Creator combines to be able to paint each and every bit of this vast landscape with exotic colours. I remember watching this Disney movie called Tinker-bell where fluorescent pattern winged fairies are responsible for all the enchantment we see around. Whatever be the reason of their nemesis the hues of nature cannot be matched ever with the manmade artificial colours. The colours of the pink dragonfruit or the minty green from the spear mint leaves, the tangerine hued Oranges, the Gold dusted turmeric, the amber kissed saffron or the ruby red painted beetroot, nothing oh nothing can bring the smile upto my eyes than a hand with tinted fingers, splashed with gorgeousness from these brilliant shades.

Kundapur Masala Powder Recipe / Mangalorean Spice Mix Powder Recipe / Taal Masala Recipe / Bunt Style Masala Powder Recipe

Kundapur Masala Powder is an indigenous, versatile spice mix which is used to flavour and give a distinct charater to the universally popular Mangalorean Bunt Community specialty dish known as "Chicken Ghee Roast". This spice mix powder is said to have originated in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka from a coastal town called Kundapur. The Kundapur Masala Powder is believed to have had its genesis in the kitchens of the very popular Shetty Lunch Homes. So if you happen to visit Kundapur do surely take time out to sample the Chicken Ghee Roast at Shetty Lunch Home. Till then, you can refer to the ingredients given below and get the spice mix ready to be able to prepare Chicken Ghee Roast or Potato Ghee Roast (for my vegetarian friends) in your kitchen easily no matter whether you are located in Boston, Brussels or Borneo.

Cholar Dal Recipe / Bengali Style Chana Dal Recipe / Split Bengal Gram Lentil Curry (Bengali Style) Recipe ~ Just Recipes

Cholar Dal is an extremely popular Lentil Curry which is served with many a Bengali Meal. It is a very simple lightly spiced lentil curry made using split bengal gram. In Bengal Cholar Dal is served along with Luchi / Puffed Deep Fried small round breads or other popular Bengali Breads like KOCHURI / RADHABALLABHI for breakfast or at the start of a meal during lunch. Cholar Dal is also served with steamed white rice along with JHURI ALOO BHAJA (very finely grated deep fried crisp potatoes) or other BHAJAS (deep fried fritters or deep fried fish etc.). It is quick, delicious and filling. You can simply have it with any breads with a salad on the side for a hearty quick fix meal any time of the day. 

Bhaja Moshla Recipe / Bengali Dry Roasted Spice Powder Recipe ~ Just Recipes

Bhaja Moshla is the Bengali word for Dry Roasted Ground whole spices that are used in many a dish from Bengal. Unlike the Southern part of India, where there are a number of different combinations of dry roasted ground spices, either used in cooking or eaten as an accompaniment with food, Bengal has only a few, Bhaja Moshla being one very important mix among them. Now there are a number of variations of Bhaja Moshla as you can find out, by either searching online or offline, by taking to your Bengali friends or reading Bengali cook books. 

Surti Locho Recipe / Gujarati Street Food Recipe / Healthy Gujarati Snack Recipe ~ ' Locho Thai Gayo Re '

I write to liberate all the beautiful, confused, happy, sad, bad and good thoughts which remain in the closet of my mind. Mind, I say cause, the heart has a strong filter and allows only thoughts laced with love. For me writing in this blog, is totally like adding wings and letting my thoughts fly out into the realms of my dreams, traverse lands where simplicity and goodness abounds. Whenever I write, almost all the time I like to dwell in a beautiful life full of simple joys, multiplying laughter, subtracting hatred. Well, at least the time my fingers flies over the letters on the keyboards, I like to believe that such a land exists.

Holige Saaru Recipe / Ugadi Recipes / Obbattu Saaru Recipe ~ Ugadi Special

UGADI PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING...

Dear friends, Ugadi is just a day away, so the festive fervour has reached it's crescendo in my home. All the silverware, copperware & brassware are out, polished and shinning, ready to be part of the celebratory rituals, the day after tomorrow. New clothes are being paired with bangles, neckpieces and bindis, even nail paints, to get the right match, in time to be donned on the festive day. Few friends will be visiting today, tomorrow and offcourse on the day of Ugadi, there will be lots of friends coming over to share with us the festivities. Overall there is not a single dull moment in my home. Lots of things happening in all sections, but as usual the prime activity is totally kitchen centric. The whole house is being flooded with the aroma of ghee, which my mum-in-law is smearing  lavishly over the bobbatlu or Indian flatbread stuffed with spiced fragrant lentil and jaggery paste, which she is dishing out one after the other, making my taste buds dance with glee. I simply loooovvveee this festive fervour and eagerly wait for it.

Menthya Soppina Chitranna Recipe / Ugadi Recipes / Lemon Rice With Fenugreek Leaves Recipe ~ Ugadi Special

Continuing with the Ugadi Special Recipes here, as we inch closer to the Ugadi celebrations with each passing day. My entire home is undergoing a deep cleaning and every nook and corner of my home is being spruced up. There is a lot of din throughout the day as from ceilings to a/c vents to sofas to carpets, you just name it, everything is being sprayed, soaped, mopped, wiped and made squeaky clean. All this intensive cleaning will be over by this noon and then immediately after, the entire family will get into a shopping spree including little D. The excitement is so clearly visible on each and everyone's face. This is what I love about festivals, the joy and happiness it brings with it, even days before it arrives.

Bajra Chi Bhakri Recipe / Bajra Roti Recipe / Indian Flat Bread Made With Pearl Millet Flour Recipe ~ Maharashtrian Cuisine

Bajra Roti is an Indian flatbread made out of the flour of Bajra or Pearl Millet Flour. This is gluten free flour and very rich in fibre. Tastes delicious when served with any curry. Making these Flatbreads with bajra flour requires a wee bit practice. As there is no gluten in this flour therefore rolling out the breads needs to be done carefully as cracks might appear all over the bread and finally the bread might break into pieces even before reaching the griddle.

Matki Chi Usal Recipe / Moth Bean Sprouts Curry ( Maharashtrian Style) Recipe ~ Flavours Of Maharashtra

Dear friends and readers, this post is a continuation of my earlier post on Maharashtrian Cuisine. I will share with you some more facets of this very delicious cuisine. Mumbai as we all know is not only the capital of Maharashtra, but is also the financial capital of India. Apart from leaving a distinct mark on the world map for its very prominent and extremely popular film industry, Mumbai is home to two very popular dishes namely 1) Vada Pav and 2) Pav Bhaji. Vada Pav is basically deep fried Potato dumplings coated in gram flour batter, served inside a square bun or pav with liberal servings of coconut chutney and a very spicy yet yummy dry garlic chutney. Pav Bhaji is basically a vegetable mish mash, wherein vegetables are steamed, spiced and mashed finely with a masher and served along with a soft bread roll or pav. Starting from Mumbai Airport , you will find the city dotted in every nook and corner with shops selling these two fast food dishes.

Plastic Chutney Recipe | Kachche Papite Ki Chutney Recipe | Bengali Style Raw Papaya Chutney Recipe

Continuing the series on Bengali Vegetarian dishes, I bring to you, dear readers, a tongue tapping side dish called Plastic Chutney. This chutney is made with raw papaya and has a very unique texture . I don't know why this Chutney came to be called Plastic Chutney. I assume it must have been to do with the thinly sliced papaya slices, used in this Chutney and their close resemblance to small pieces of plastic sheets. Even my Ma and aunts think the same. I am yet to come across either a folk lore or any history associated with this nomenclature. If any of you my valued readers know how this chutney came to be called Plastic Chutney please leave me a comment on this post and I will happily include the trivia. 

Posto Narkel Bora Recipe | Khus Khus Aur Nariyal Ke Vade Recipe | Poppy Seeds, Coconut Fritters Recipe

Unlike the common belief that Bengali Cuisine is mostly about non-vegetarian dishes, there is a huge repertoire of Vegetarian dishes too. Many of my friends have asked me about these vegetarian dishes which abound Bengali cuisine and so I deceided to do this post and a series of posts after this one, to take you all, my dear readers into this treasure trove of Bengali Vegetarian fare. There are Blogger friends who are documenting and sharing vegetarian recipes and one such Blogger whom I immensely admire is Soma Saha Ray. Do check out her Blog Curry And Spice by clicking on the title of her Blog here. You will get many vegetarian Bengali dishes there right out of her kitchen and also those dishes which her Mother, Mother-in-law and grandmothers have passed on to her. 

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.

Pulihora Podi Recipe, ( Andhra Style ) / Tamarind Rice Powder Recipe

There is nothing better than Homemade, hand pounded spices to be used for cooking. Indian food is all about the magic we create with our spices. Unfortunately due to lack of time and also because most spice mixes are easily available in the Super Markets or with our Local Grocers, making freshly ground spices at home has become rare. Today, homes where mortar and pestle or the dual grinding stone or sil batta is still used to make spices is mostly in our vilages. That is the reason why the food cooked there is so pure and loaded with flavours.