Posts

What is a cucamelon? Cucamelon (aka melothria scabra) is a small, natural (non-GMO) fruit, the size of a grape, native to Mexico, referred to by many names, including mouse melon (Sandia de ratón), little watermelon (sandita), Mexican sour gherkin, and Mexican sour cucumber are all names used to describe this fruit. Unsurprisingly, the ‘cucamelon’ looks exactly like a miniature version of watermelon on the outside, with cucumber-like insides. However, they are actually neither....

Dec 24, 2019, Updated Nov 06, 2020 It’s a simple dessert made with atta (whole wheat flour), sugar and ghee. You only need these 3 basic ingredients to make atte ka halwa. Atta halwa has been one of my favorite halwa ever since I can remember. I would always specifically request my mom to make atte ka halwa for me. Back then, I didn’t care much for sooji halwa, which is another popular halwa made in Indian households frequently....

Whenever I’m craving comfort, I love turning to warm, creamy drinks like a turmeric latte, matcha latte, British tea, or this Indian masala chai recipe. In fact, with winter approaching, this masala tea recipe has quickly become my favorite. Thanks to its blend of warming, fragrant spices, and whole milk (vegan adaptable), it has the perfect creamy consistency and spicy-sweet, full-bodied flavor! Best of all, this authentic Indian chai recipe is super simple to prepare at home....

Jun 20, 2014, Updated Jan 02, 2018 A lot of sweets and desserts in India are made using milk and usually they are also the most popular ones. One such popular sweet is rasgulla, it comes from the state of West Bengal which is famous for it’s mouth-watering desserts. Rasgulla is made from “chena” which is obtained by curdling the milk. The chena is mashed, made smooth and then cooked in boiling sugar syrup....

Dec 06, 2021, Updated May 07, 2023 When I think of Christmas baking, the first thing that comes to mind is cookies and I can never have enough of them. Every year I like trying new cookie recipes and gift them to my friends and neighbors here. There’s something magical about baking cookies this time of the year compared to any other time of the year. Isn’t it? I got introduced to Snowball Cookies after moving to the US, I had not heard of them back in India....

What is Makhana Makhanas are popularly known as lotus seeds, fox nuts, Euryale Ferox, gorgon nuts, and phool makhana. It’s actually the puffed lotus seeds or the puffed fox nuts that have high nutritional and medicinal values and are mostly grown in state of Bihar in India. In India, Foxnuts are eaten during vrat or fasting. Is Makhana good for health? Makhana/Fox nuts are great snack foods for diabetics and heart patients as they contain good fat and low saturated fats....

Dec 02, 2015, Updated May 07, 2023 Doesn’t it always happen that sometimes you start loving 2 ingredients together so much that you can’t help but pair them in every recipe you create. Like chocolate & peanut butter, chocolate and cinnamon and my latest obsession chocolate and orange. I remember way back when I was in school, one of my favorite chocolates was orange flavored. I used to love it so much, it also had some nuts added to it....

Aug 05, 2015, Updated Jan 02, 2018 I think by now you must have guessed that I am obsessed with this combination of spinach and sweet corn. In case you haven’t noticed I have already shared few recipes using these two. I can’t help it, whenever I add spinach to something my hands automatically reach out to the bag of sweet corn. In fact when I made spinach lasagna, I ran out of corn else I would have added it to that recipe too....

Jan 18, 2015, Updated May 07, 2023 How’s your weekend going guys? Doing something special or trying out any new recipes? I am having a rather lazy weekend and I really blame the weather for it. While it doesn’t snow much on this side, it has been so rainy and grey that I just don’t feel like getting out of my bed. It has been raining non-stop and looking outside my window, I sometimes feel that maybe I would take snow over this!...

Dec 07, 2014, Updated Jan 02, 2018 I have recently become obsessed with making granola at home. You might have noticed that already if you have been following my blog for a while. Making granola at home is so easy that ever since I discovered it I have never purchased a box from the grocery store. Why to waste money on something which you can make at home in just few minutes?...

Creamy guacamole, it’s time to step aside because there’s a new avocado dip recipe in town. Okay, so it’s not that new – I’ve been using it for years. However, this avocado cilantro dressing is super delicious and definitely worth adding to your recipe repertoire. This creamy green dip was originally posted on this Pick n’ Mix summer rice paper rolls post, but definitely deserves a post of its own....

I gave dumpling-making a try this year, and I’ve shared recipes for homemade dumpling wrappers and vegan steamed mushroom dumplings. However, the actual pleating of dumplings is definitely an art that requires practice. Luckily, these crispy rice paper dumplings are perfect for any cooking level, super simple to prepare, and require no complicating folds/pleats! Even better, these pan-fried rice paper dumplings can be pulled together in around 20 minutes, are super adaptable to use whatever leftover veggies you have in your fridge, and did I mention that they taste amazing too?...

This Asian cucumber salad recipe is what started my love for healthy cucumber recipes and salads. It led to me sharing my favorite recipes for cucumber salads. Like this spicy Korean cucumber salad and cucumber and onion vinegar salad. They’re crunchy, crisp, vibrant, and packed with flavor, perfect for serving with so many meals! This Asian cucumber salad is packed with some of my favorite Asian flavors, including toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and ginger....

Mar 30, 2015, Updated Jan 02, 2018 I love holidays because there’s so much fun and happiness associated with them. But you know what is that I love most about the holidays? Yes you guessed it, food! Lots of treats, baking, good food it’s all so much fun! With Easter just around the corner, I knew I had to come up with some fun treat, something which was not only delicious but also looked perfect for Easter....

It seems like I just don’t want to step away from delicious Caprese salad this year. I’ve already posted recipes for a classic Caprese salad, Burrata heirloom Caprese, peach Caprese, and Caprese bruschetta. Now it’s the turn of this summery carby, delicious Caprese pasta salad recipe (aka tomato mozzarella pasta salad)! If you haven’t tried anything Caprese salad-esque before, you’re in for a treat. The simple combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil with a simple olive oil dressing makes for the perfect accompaniment to a pasta dish – delicious when served warm, at room temperature, or chilled....

I’ve already shared this all-purpose Middle Eastern dough along – perfect for making Manakish, like za’atar manakish, and now this cheese manakish. This cheese flatbread is simple, fresh, and delicious – not to mention that it smells amazing as it bakes in the oven. Best of all, the manakish dough can be made up to two days in advance and takes under 10 minutes to bake in the oven. Once baked, store the leftover cheese manakish in the freezer for up to three months and re-heat from frozen for a quick and tasty snack whenever you feel like it....

Taking just minutes to prep, this set-it-and-forget-it meal will have you coming back time and time again – and it makes great leftovers. Slow cook: Add the lid and cook the chicken pot pie in the crock pot on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. The cooking time varies based on the chicken size, type (breasts or thighs), and your crockpot. To check for doneness, the vegetables should be tender, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165ºF/74ºC to be safe to eat....

Lemon butter sauce is a great sauce to have in your repertoire as it perfectly complements a wide range of dishes. These include seafood, meat, veggies, and pasta. So it’s great to whip up any time you need to elevate a dish. The good news is, my lemon butter sauce for fish can be made with just 4 pantry-staple ingredients so it is incredibly budget-friendly. This recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves bright, zesty flavors and creamy, buttery goodness....

Dec 09, 2015, Updated Jun 24, 2024 I am sure everyone must be so busy with their holiday shopping right now. Doesn’t it get a little crazy during this time of the year? I actually don’t like going to malls during the holidays, first of all parking is a huge problem and even if you are lucky enough to find a spot, the lines at all the stores are huge....

May 12, 2022 I love pancakes for breakfast on the weekends just like French toast! When the weather gets warmer, we often go to this pancake place which we both love and enjoy a stack of pancakes with a cup of coffee. It makes the perfect start to our weekend. And on weekends when we want to eat pancakes and but want to laze around in the house, I make a batch of these eggless pancakes....