Anshu's Food Odyssey

Chutney is an inseparable part of the Indian cuisine ; frankly speaking, a chutney on the platter not only adds a finger-licking goodness to the food but also takes the whole culinary experience a notch higher. Not to mention, there is an endless variety of chutneys that you would find on your gastronomic journey in India; head to Northern parts of the country and you would be treated with mouth-watering flavors of the ever vibrant Coriander and Mint Chutney, the luscious and creamy Coconut Chutney from South India on the other hand, needs to introduction. Having said that, there are many instances when these regular chutneys cannot be consumed, especially during the fasting days of Navratri , Shivratri and Janmashtmi, the famous Hindu festivals when the devotees during this time abstain themselves from eating certain ingredients like the regular grains, onions, garlic and many of the spices. As its the Chaitra Navratri going on and my husband is observing fast, therefore I have

Barfi or fudge is a quintessential sweet for any Indian festival be it Holi, Diwali, Janmashtami, Navratri or Eid. Traditionally, it is made using khoya/mawa or the milk solids that are flavored with a variety of ingredients such as cardamom, rose and saffron. Besides, fruit and chocolate based barfis are also getting very popular these days. However, the barfi that I am sharing with you today is a combination of khoya and almond paste that gives it a nice nutty flavour and texture. And the saffron surely lends it that beautiful aroma and golden hue making it all the more inviting. Not to mention, this barfi is perfect to indulge in during the fasting days. Kesar Khoya Badam Barfi Ingredients Almonds - 1/2 cup Milk - 3/4 cup Grated khoya/mawa - 1/2 cup Ghee - 1 tsp Sugar - 4 tbsp Kesar/Saffron strands - a good pinch Kewra/Rose water (optional) - 1 tsp Edible silver paper (warq, optional) Kesar Khoya Badam Barfi Other Similar Recipes from t

Sabudana Vada , also known as ' Sago Vada ' or ' Sago Cutlet ', is one of the most popular snacks from the Indian states of Maharashtra & Gujarat. These crispy vadas are made from a mixture of mashed potatoes, sago pearls and crushed roasted peanuts that is subtly flavored with a handful of curry leaves and few basic spices. The mouth-watering delicacy is most often relished during the festivals of Navratri , Shivratri and Janmashtmi when many of the Hindu patrons observe fast (vrat) and refrain themselves from having the regular grains including wheat and rice. Since, sabudana or sago doesn't count in regular grains, it makes for a perfect food substitute to satiate those hunger pangs during the fasting time. Additionally, the little white pearls are a rich source of dietary fiber and carbohydrates, consumption of which instantly leave you energized after a long day of abstainment from food. Having said that, it doesn't mean sabudana vadas ca

Recently my husband travelled to Ahmedabad and while returning brought a 3-in-1 dhokla/idli/patra steamer for me. Since then, I am always in lookout for opportunities to use this versatile steamer. Well! in the past 15 - 20 days I have already tried my hands making the instant KHAMAN DHOKLA and the 3 GRAIN DHOKLA , both of which were a big hit on my blog. It was now time again to experiment something new; and because we all are observing the Navratri fasts , there was no choice but to come up with a farali dhokla . A few days back, I was just scrolling through various blogs to find a dhokla recipe for the vrat (fasting) but each one listed a recipe that called for use of either eno or baking soda. Since I did not want to incorporate any of these ingredients in my fasting recipe, I thought of  going the old-fashioned way i.e. fermenting the batter overnight so that it gets a natural rise while steaming. And to my utter surprise, it actually worked. I got a nice spongy and fluffy

Sooji ka Halwa or the Indian Semolina Pudding is one of the most popular desserts made across India, especially on auspicious occasions and festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi , Holi and Diwali . Having said that, every household follows its own way of preparing this soul satisfying halwa, yielding in different tastes, colors and textures. The recipe that I am going to share today is my Mum's, which is a keeper and has never ever failed me so far. It calls for a patient roasting of sooji on low heat along with some besan till it attains a nice deep golden hue. Yes, you read that right! my Mum always added a little besan (gramflour) to the halwa for a beautiful taste and texture. And I guess, the patient roasting is another key that imparted it a great color. I still remember my childhood days when this halwa was prepared on the day of Durga Ashtami for Kanya Pujan ; me and my sister would sit back impatiently and wait for the pooja to get over so that we could just dig in th

First of all I would like to thank Paarul for having invited me to her lovely space to share one of the recipes that I am passionate about; sookhey kale chane is one such delicacy that is close to my heart and comes from my Mum’s kitchen treasures. Hope you like it. Kale Chane or the dried black Bengal gram make for a rich source of protein, dietary fibre and folic acid, some essential nutrients that need to be part of your kids’ dietary routine. Having a low glycaemic index, they are also perfect for those suffering with diabetes as they help control and maintain the blood sugar level. Plus, for the ones who are looking to shed those few extra kilos, try making these legumes a part of your daily diet and you surely would see the results in just a few days. Coming to the recipes that you can make with dried black Bengal gram, I must say they are unlimited, especially in India because every region has its own way and style of cooking them. The recipe that I am going to share tod

Sabudana ki Khichdi finds its place amongst the most popular Indian breakfast dishes and that is commonly eaten during Navratri and Shivratri in Northern and Western parts of India. Needless to say, the tiny little sago pearls stir fried along with crushed peanuts, boiled potatoes and mild spices are fully packed with carbohydrates and make for a wholesome meal that leaves you energized and pepped up for the full day of fasting. With that being said, this khichdi is so tasty that you can even have when not fasting. It's also a perfect recipe for those who prefer vegan and gluten-free delicacies in their daily diet routine. So, without wasting much of the time, let's get started with the ingredients and method to make this yummylicious khichdi. Sabudana Khichdi | Sago Khichdi Ingredients 1. Sabudana/Sago - 1 cup (washed and soaked in 3/4 cup water for 5 - 6 hours) 2. Boiled potato (medium sized, chopped into bite size cubes) - 1 3. Green chilies (f

Come Navratris, and I am all set to go on a feasting mode 😁. While people fast during these 9 auspicious days, I am quite the opposite and love binging on an endless variety of gastronomic delicacies that leave my palate all satisfied and contented with their divine taste and aroma. And on my special Navratri menu, apart from 'Kuttu ke Pakode', 'Samak Pulav' and ' Sabudana Khichdi ', the recipe which takes the top position is this exotic " Kuttu ki Kadhi " that is off-course made using kuttu or buckwheat flour. Now what makes this kadhi even more interesting is its crispy pakodas (fritters) that are bursting with an added tartness and flavor of faalsas or black currants. Trust me, just a small addition of these tiny little balls of sweet-citric juices, elevate the taste and flavor of the kadhi to another level. If you have never made use of faalsas in such a way, try it now and I promise, you will not be disappointed. Coming to the recipe,

Well! I was thinking to make the falahari Malai Koftas for Sunday special lunch, but, as I entered into the kitchen I realized. I only had a small amount of paneer (cottage cheese) in my fridge, obviously not enough to make what I intended to. A quest to make something with paneer (as its my husband's favorite), I came up with these baby potato cheese pops. Though I thought of making a creamy and nutty gravy later to dip these pops into it (as a substitute for malai kofta) and enjoy with crisp kuttu pooris, it never happened because we both (me and my husband) gobbled it up as is. And trust me, they tasted truly divine and yummilicious. For the recipe, browse through the page below. Ingredients 12-15 baby potatoes 2-3 green chilies 10-15 curry leaves 100 grams paneer/cottage cheese 8-10 raisins 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp chopped coriander 1 tsp lemon juice Salt to taste Oil for frying Method 1.

Tortilla Chips with Salsa is something which we all must have enjoyed several times. How about giving this famous Mexican recipe an Indian twist, especially for foodies who are fasting during the Navratra days? Sounds interesting? Well! I bring for you the most delectable chips made using the samak (barnyard millet) flour accompanied with a mouth-watering fruit salsa dip. The best part is, these chips are flavored with fresh strawberries and make for a delectable treat. Here's the recipe ....hope you enjoy ! Ingredients (For Fruit Salsa) 5-6 fresh strawberries finely chopped 2-3 tsp fresh pomegranate seeds 1/2 orange cut into cubes 2 green chillies finely chopped 1/2 bunch of mint leaves finely chopped 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp of powdered sugar 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 1 tsp black salt White salt as per taste Ingredients (For Samak Chips) 2-3 fresh strawberries finely chopped 1 green chilli finely chopped 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp salt 2 cups cooke