Banaras Ka Tori Chana (Banaras Style Sponge Gourd And Black Chickpeas)

Banarasi cuisine is supposed to be very famous. Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with this cuisine since I have visited Banaras only once. Even on that trip, my food was very restricted since I was on a pilgrimage and did not have any opportunity to savour the local cuisine. Where I stay (Delhi/NCR), the…

Indian Chopped Salad

And yet more salads! I seem to never tire of trying out new salad recipes – and, invariably, they all turn out to be fantastic. But I have mixed grains into my salad only once, if my memory proves right. With the pasta salad. I have seen western consumers make a whole meal of a…

Lobia Masala (Black-eyed Bean Curry)

There are several types of beans used in Indian cuisine. I am not very familiar with the American terminologies such as refried beans. But I am quite sure that this is called black-eyed beans even in America. There are several dishes that can be made with this versatile beans. I normally stick to the tried…

Bihari Parwal Masala (Pointed Gourd Stir Fry)

Parwal (pointed gourd) was not one of my favourite vegetables when I first moved to Delhi in 1984. As usual, I bought it stoically once every 3 months – just to assuage my guilt that I am not eating seasonal and local. It was only when Hari came into my employ in 1997 that I…

Vankaya Vepudu (Eggplant Stir Fry)

The humble eggplant is one of the most versatile vegetables that I know. There are literally hundreds of recipes in each of the different states of India. And there are several varieties of eggplants – long, small-round, large-round, green, white, striped… I reserve specific varieties for different dishes. For example, the Palakkad preparation of eggplant…

Amritsari Dal

I was not a great fan of the North Indian dals – mainly because I have been used to the taste of tamarind (or something sour) with my rice. Therefore, the South Indian preparations were more suited to my taste buds. Some years ago, I decided not to have rice for dinner, but opted for…

Greek Salad

Salads are an everyday preparation in my home. I am therefore constantly on the lookout for interesting salad recipes. I normally stick to the Indian icon, Tarla Dalal, for inspiration. That’s because her recipes use ingredients that are easily available in the country. But I do like to try salads from different countries too. When…

Tomato, Basil and Tofu Salad

I have been enjoying concocting salad recipes. In the process, I have lost count on the number of salads that I have prepared. It suffices to say that each one is more interesting (and tasty) than the next. This salad called for feta cheese. I could have substituted the dairy with vegan cheese. However, my…

Muthira Varutharacha Curry (Horsegram Dal)

Horsegram is widely used in Kerala. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that even in Uttarakhand, it is a popular dal. I have tried some recipes from Uttarakhand using horsegram – and they turned out delicious. This recipe, however, is a traditional dish from Kerala. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find horsegram with…

Banana Blossom In Tamarind Gravy

Every part of the banana tree is consumed in India. The steam and blossoms are used to make various lip-smacking dishes. The leaves are used to serve food – eco-friendly. The used leaves are then fed to cows or goats. Raw banana is also used to make different kinds of dishes. Ripe bananas are, of…