Anshu's Food Odyssey

Mango season is at its peak and all I can think of is, making use of this king of fruits in almost any and every drink or dessert. Yesterday only I served these refreshing Mango Popsicles after dinner; so much loved by my family, they just vanished off the table in the blink of an eye. Next demand came for the fresh mango cake. Decided to make it today but at the last moment, our oven went for a toss...Phew!! Nevertheless, I had seen my mother bake the cakes in cooker in our childhood days, so came up with the idea of baking it without oven. Not a tough task, you just need to have heavy bottom aluminium pressure cooker handy. Next fill it up with some salt (about an inch level height), cover and heat for about 10 to 15 minutes on medium flame. Offcourse remove the gasket and weight before heating. Once the temperature inside the cooker is fairly hot, place the cake tray on top of a ring or a stand inside the cooker, again cover and let the cake bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Wha...

As the mercury is soaring high, all one can want is some chilled juices, coolants and lemonades to keep hydrated through the day. Though lots of drinks, squashes and ice creams are available in the market these days, they are not only high in sugar levels but also contain excess of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors which are absolutely harmful for our health. Now the question is, how to get away from such unhealthy stuff. Well the simple answer is make them at home. I know it is quite an effort but at the end of the day its all worth the hard work put in because you certainly would be treating yourself and your family with a healthy, fresh, flavorful and preservative free food. For those who have been following my blog would know how much I love mangoes....since these sunshine beauties are available in abundance in summers, I like to make most of the opportunity. In the past, I have used them in quite a number of desserts and drinks including those of  Mango Lassi ,...

Today evening my taste buds were craving for some Italian flavors but, I did not want to go a lengthy route spending hours kneading the dough, waiting for the yeast to ferment the same and then bake a pizza, garlic bread or a focaccia to enjoy with my tea. It was only few days back that I saw the recipe of these instant savory pizza muffins on a cookery show on TV. The recipe somehow got etched in the back of my mind; without wasting any time, I was ready with my baking stuff...and luckily I had everything in my pantry that I would have loved to have in my muffins: bellpeppers, corns, fresh coriander, Italian seasoning and off-course some Mozzarella Cheese. Believe me, it took me just under 30 minutes to have these hot muffins out of the oven....and lo! my family was elated to relish a lovely tea time treat. Waiting for the recipe? scroll down below !!!  Instant Veg Pizza Muffins Ingredients All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cups Melted butter - 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp ...

Indian food culture is absolutely incomplete without the dry snack mixtures; be it South India or North India, people here need something to munch on either to curb their hunger pangs during the day or as an accompaniment to their evening tea or coffee. I remember during our childhood days, a huge wooden cabinet in the kitchen was used as a storage for a variety of such homemade snacks; methi nimki , namak paarey , besan ke laddoo , homemade jeera biscuits and nan khatai were some of the regular stuff that was stocked out in small portions whenever we felt hungry or when some guests visited our home. This healthy and absolutely lip smacking shahi namkeen mixture was also one of such snacks and was made quite frequently. Comprised of assorted nuts blended with spicy, tangy and sweet flavors, it truly used to be an addictive stuff that we loved to have with our tea in the evenings. Plus, come Diwali, and my Mom would make this mixture in big batches, seal them up in beautifu...

Phirni is the classical dessert that finds its origin in the Indian state of Punjab. Thick, luscious and creamy dish made by thickening the milk along with coarsely ground rice, phirni is traditionally served in little earthen pots and you would mostly find it being served during festivals and weddings.  While phirni itself is quite a simple recipe, I have given it an interesting twist by adding mini gulab jamuns to the same. This delectable fusion dessert is sure to add to your list of traditional party recipes; serve it during your Diwali get-together , Holi lunch or any pooja ceremony at home. I guarantee it would be loved by your guests. Scroll down for the complete recipe. Click here if you want to know how to make homemade Angoori Gulab Jamuns . Gulab Jamun Phirni  Ingredients Full fat milk - 1 litre Rice (soaked in water) - 4 tbsp Sugar - 1/2 cup Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Rose water (optional) - 1 to 2 tsp Saffron strands - a few Min...

Super moist and oozing with decadence, these double chocolate muffins are perfect for any kind of an occasion, be it your own kitty party, your kid's birthday party or a day-out or a picnic. Plus, they are made using whole wheat flour which makes them quite healthy and wholesome. To add on to the guilt-free factor, these muffins are sans off any butter, absolutely a go-to dessert for the weight-watchers. Oh, did I tell you, they are egg-free too? Well yes, these chocolate muffins are eggless and can be easily gorged on by a vegetarian crowd. Waiting for the recipe? simply scroll down and get started !!  Wholewheat Double Chocolate Muffins [Eggless, Butterless] Ingredients Whole Wheat Flour - 1.5 cups Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp Powdered sugar - 1 cup Plain curd/yogurt - 1/2 cup Milk - 1/2 cup Olive oil - 1/2 cup Vanilla extract - 1 tsp Baking powder - 1.5 tsp Salt - 1/4 tsp Melted chocolate - 1/8 cup Chocolate rice/chips - 1/8 cup + few to sprinkle on top of ...

In India, especially on the Northern Side like Delhi and Punjab, whenever there is a party or a get-together planned at home, one dish that is a must-make for sure, has to be paneer (cottage cheese) based. While many a times I go either for Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma , Paneer Butter Masala , Shahi Palak Paneer Kofta Curry or Kadhai Paneer , this time I opted to experiment with flavors keeping them plain, simple and subtle. Trust me, the dish turned out to be super awesome and left my guests licking their fingers till the last bite.    To tell you more about this paneer recipe, its heart and soul is the gravy which is made using the paste of melon seeds, a little milk and a dollop of fresh cream. What lends it a touch of spice is only a couple of green chilies and black pepper powder. And yes, it is totally incomplete without kasoori methi powder that provides it with that much needed earthiness. One of my best paneer recipes till date, it ought to be indulged with som...