Kashmiri Phirni Recipe ~ Diwali Sweet / Happy Diwali

In her finery she bent down while placing the oil filled earthen curved palm shaped lamps with a cotton wick running right through their center. As she moved from one place to another with a tray filled with Diyas or earthen lamps, her anklets made the sweetest tinkling sound. I simply could not take my eyes off her as she struck a match stick & started to light the Diyas. In the flame of the lit Diyas her face was covered with a golden hue, her gold ornaments dazzled & she looked just like a divine creature who had transcended on earth to grace the special day. It was Diwali eve & the lady in question was Netra Pandita Aunty, who lived in the garden encircled bungalow down the road. I was a starry eyed teenager those days who was completely blown away by her grace, poise & beauty. As I followed her with my eyes she glided across the room like a princess who wore shoes made of flowers. She returned a few minutes later with garlands of orange & yellow marigold flowers & started tying them up in different places of the room. By the time she finished her decorations that room looked sun kissed with the abundance of Diyas & marigolds.

Khirer Chapa Mishti / Traditional Bengali Style Milk Fudge

I am a huge fan of tradition, rituals which define our festivals, celebrations and food which has been passed down from one generation to another. Although I am at the same time big into neo cuisine, fusion dishes, global cuisine, molecular gastronomy etc. a part of me is always on the lookout for recipes which have been lost in the tides of time, recipes which are slowly disappearing from our kitchen because of our busy lifestyle. This is solely my opinion, that, as we embrace the neo we should not let go of our years and years of culture and tradition. They are what defines us. As we cannot imagine a tree without roots, I feel we too would be rootless without our cultural heritage, which for me is unthinkable.

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.

Chironji Ki Dal Recipe / Gluten Free Curry Made With Chironji ~ Navratri Vrat Recipes

Rituals, age old traditions which we bring out from our rich cultural heritage treasure chest, are responsible for all the smiles, happiness and warmth around, when the festivities are in full swing. I have been a keen and inquisitive observer of these ceremonial practices from the time I was a little girl. Some of these customs fascinated me, some of them intrigued me and most of them made me ask the family elders innumerable questions. Yesterday was celebrated as Shashti, the day which heralds the beginning of Durga Puja and Bengalis follow some rituals on that day. These rituals are outlined in our scriptures and are abided accordingly. Kalp~Arambha is the ritual performed before the beginning of Durga Puja. Kalp~Arambha is the ritual of taking a pledge (sankalp) to follow each and very custom and ritual as is mentioned in the books without any deviation whatsoever. 

Cauliflower Burfi Recipe / Kabishambardhana Barfi Recipe / Cauliflower Fudge Recipe

Hello Beautiful People. A sizeable portion of my lovely readers worldwide must be immersed in the preparations of celebrating Diwali ~ The Festival Of Lights. The number of sweets that has swept over Social Media has already kick-started the festivities a week back. Going through the numerous sweet and savoury recipes I was thinking to myself, thanks to Social Media we get to see Recipes from every nook and corner of India and try them in our home kitchen without having to travel to that part right away. Wonderful isn't it? 

Shorshe Keema Recipe / Mutton ( Goat) Mince In Thick Mustard Sauce Recipe ~ Basking In Festivities

It is Eid here in Dubai today and many parts of the world. In India Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. On this auspicious occasion I would like to wish all my dear friends, readers and everyone celebrating A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED EID.

Murshidabad Postor Halwa Recipe / Khus Khus Halva Recipe / Poppy Seeds Halva Recipe ~ Rejoicing Two Fulfilling Years Of Blogging

Two years of a fulfilling journey into the culinary world of everything extraordinairé and I am all the more charged up to unravel further and further. This unending enthusiasm of mine to delve extensively into this fascinating world of food seems to be on an upscale even more now. As I sit back, retrospecting, the realisation dawns on me that so much has changed since this voyage began exactly two years from today. I have in my own little way learnt so many facets and things related to food which I would have never known had it not been for this Blog. My Blog propels me to constantly be on the quest for new cuisines, ingredients which I have never heard of before, connects me to the glorious past of countries through their food and also gives me the confidence to try recipes in my kitchen which I perhaps would not have done otherwise. Truly, this culinary adventure of mine has become so fascinating with each passing year.

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.

Raw Mango Halwa Recipe / Ugadi Recipes / Kachche Aam Ka Halwa Recipe ~ Ugadi Special

Ugadi or the Telugu New Year is on the 8th of April and the hustle bustle in my home is quite palpable. I am so glad that little D is learning about the diverse cultures that she belongs to with her parents hailing from different parts of India. Little D gets to enjoy and celebrate so many different festivals and she is lucky that her grand~mum enriches her with all the legends behind the various celebrations and rituals. I can see that her tiny fingers still have faint traces of the colours of Holi, which she joyfully celebrated only a few days back and here she is again getting ready to revel in the festive spirit of Ugadi. This weekend she will go shopping for new dresses, ornaments and many other things with her grandparents as we all will get ready to welcome the New Year with great pomp and joy.

Shahi Tukra & Moong Dal Halwa Canapés Recipe / Holi Recipes ~ Holi Hai !!

Happy Holi to all my dear friends and precious readers. Whether you are celebrating the festival of colours or not, I will wish you joy and smiles on this day and everyday of your life. We are having a Holi Party tonight after all the fun and frolic with colours throughout the day today. Before all the fun begins and I am sprayed with colours all over, I decided to finish all the dishes for tonight's Holi Dinner party. So I woke up this morning even before the sun and finished all the preparations and most of the cooking for the party. I just left the Appetizers ready to be just grilled and served. Since this is a party of very close friends and family only and not a very big gathering, I decided to cook everything myself and not hire a professional chef or maharaj, which I would have done for a larger gathering.

Pichkari Pulao Recipe / Holi Recipes / Vegetable And Cottage Cheese Balls Pilaf Recipe ~ Holi Hai !!

Continuing the Holi Celebrations here on My Tryst With Food And Travel, let me tell you all lovely people, a little about another place in India which is on my must visit list , to experience first hand Holi Celebrations. This small hamlet in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is very famous for its Holi celebrations, known as Lathmar Holi. Barsana, a small town in Uttar Pradesh , is known as the Holi Hub of India and is the place to watch Lathmar Holi being played. Even this Holi legend revolves around Lord Krishna and Radha. Barsana is the birthplace of Radha. The legend of Lathmar Holi goes, that on this day, many many years ago, Lord Krishna visited Barsana and playfully teased Radha and her friends, the Gopis. They all got angry on his act and chased Lord Krishna away from the village using sticks. Lath stands for sticks and Mar means to beat.

Dahi Gujiya Recipe / Holi Recipes / Stuffed Moon Shaped Lentil Dumplings In Yogurt ~ Holi Hai !!

The festival of Holi will be celebrated in India with pomp and vigour in less than a week. As we all Indians, no matter in which part of the world we live, gear up for the festival of colours, Holi, one can easily see the preparations, to stock up on different types of snacks and sweets have already begun in most Indian, Hindu households. As my kitchen too starts to revel in the holi festivities with the woks emanating a sugary aroma sometimes, sometimes spicy, my kitchen becomes a place where the moment you step in the salivary glands go into a frenzy.

Chironji Makhane Kheer With Mixed Nuts Chikki / Chiraunji Fox Nuts Milk Pudding With Nutty Caramel Discs ~ Celebrating Lohri

HAPPY LOHRI to all my readers,dear friends and everyone celebrating the festivities of Lohri. Today Lohri is being celebrated in India especially in Punjab with pomp and show. LOHRI is an Indian Festival celebrated to mark the end of winter, when people can come out of their homes and celebrate the harvesting of the Rabi (winter) crops and give in to relaxing and enjoying the traditional folk songs and dances, with sweets and festivities around a huge throbbing Bonfire.

Beetroot Tofu Barfi / Fudge, Diwali Sweet, Vegan And Gluten Free ~ Let There Be Light

I have always tried to fill my Blog with happy posts. But this time, when I sat to pen down, it was with a heavy heart. The ruthless killings of humans both in India and many different parts of the World made me ponder, why oh why can't we stop all this once and for all. Life is such a precious gift and no one should cut a life short, no matter what the reason is. No reason for cutting short a life can be strong enough before life itself. A little more reasoning, love for people, increased tolerance can go a thousand miles in creating a world of peace and happiness. On this week, preceding Diwali, the Festival of Lights, my heart and soul in unison prays for universal peace. I pray that no mother should lose a son or daughter to intolerance anymore. I pray that the diyas / lamps of Diwali lights up not only our homes but are hearts and minds as well.

KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI /GREEN PEAS STUFFED BENGALI STYLE KACHORI ~ SHUBHO BIJOYA

The annually awaited DURGA PUJO reaches its crescendo and bids goodbye to all the celebrations which are stacked away again until next year. With the Idol of Goddess Durga being immersed in the water, no matter how hard one tries, the heart does become a bit heavy. It brings in the feeling of parting and then waiting for one whole year until the festival returns. Though I have gone through this ritual of festivities which does come to an end on BIJOYA DASHAMI upteen number of times , since my childhood the melancholy beats in my heart still ring out loud and clear every single year, even now.

ELO JHELO IN SALSA, ZATAR AND ORANGE FLAVOURS - A ZESTY UNION OF FLAVOURSOME NOTES

HAPPY DUSSEHRA AND VIJAYADASHAMI TO MY DEAR READERS

The ribbed glass jar sat high up on the highest rack in the room, where through a half opened wooden window, a spotted stream of light entered. Two heads with a pair of pigtails each were clustered together in deep conversation, hush hush though, looking up towards that ribbed glass jar from time to time. The discussion gained momentum and soon a pair of tiny feet rushed out of the room and was back half carrying, half pulling, struggling with a wooden stool. Some more whispers and then the adventure to reach that jar began. The stool creaked, swayed under the raised on toes two pretty feet with a silver anklet tinkling lightly with the movement. Hush instructions were given from below, maybe the right direction of the jar. The tiny hands trying hard to reach it. Alas even after the full extension of both hands and feet the final outcome was, the jar flying in the air for a couple of seconds before breaking the pin drop silence with its clinking shatter, as it spread a thousand sparkle on the floor. No sooner had the glass jar met its final outcome a voice rang loud and clear , who is it in the store room, followed by the scurrying away of the little feet.

CHICKEN KOBIRAJI CUTLETS ~ DURGA PUJO SPECIAL

A very HAPPY DURGA PUJA to all my readers, family and friends celebrating this festival. Durga Puja is a very significant festival and heralds a whole lot of festivities for Bengalis all over the world. We have grown up amidst the rituals , traditions and festivities surrounding DURGA Puja. But this is not the case with little D who was born far away from India and who though loves any kind of rituals and celebrations surrounding these festivals is not at all familiar with any of them. Every year I try in my own little way to bring to her a minuscule part of the pomp and fervour that is such an integral part of Durga Puja.

CHANAR /COTTAGE CHEESE KORMA ~ SHUBHO MAHALAYA

PAINTERS IN KUMARTULI, THE PORTER'S QUARTER KOLKATA DRAWING THE THIRD EYE ON THE IDOL OF GODDESS DURGA ON THE DAY OF MAHALAYA(IMAGE SOURCE)

SHIULI FLOWERS/NIGHT FLOWERING JASMINE FLOWERS SYNONYMOUS OF DURGA PUJA

As Indians we celebrate many beautiful festivals which span through different months giving us sweet reasons to adorn new attires, gorge into dishes which leave our taste buds doused in their flavours long after they have completed their journey into our gut and bask in festivities galore. Each festival brings in its own unique attributes, has its own legend and is our pathway to transcend on that blessed journey into our rich culture and heritage.Growing up in India I can't be  more thankful to the fact that I have had the opportunity to seep into the multitudes of diverse traditions which is the base of this gorgeous country. Each festival was celebrated with equal pomp and joy.

Apricot / Khubani Laddoos ( Vegan Sugar Free Gluten Free) ~ Happy Ganesh Puja

As the 10 day long festivities of GANESH Chaturthi continues in India, far away in my humble home in Dubai we too usher in the celebrations. I make it a point to celebrate almost all the INDIAN festivals which I grew up rejoicing either at my home or a friend's house or the community puja centre, no matter how tied up I am with work. Most INDIAN families who live far away from their homeland, in my conversations with them, I have learnt that just like me they make it a point to celebrate these festivals either at home or in the community collective celebrations. Most of my friends or aquantainces have echoed my thought, that it's these festivals which help us remain connected to our roots and bring forth our rich culture and traditions to our children.