Anshu's Food Odyssey

Baingan or eggplants are one of the most common vegetables used in Indian cuisine. Lots of delicacies can be made using these baby aubergines/brinjals; today I bring for you the " achaari baingan masala " which is a unique mix of spicy, savory and tangy flavors, perfect for foodies with those ' chatpata tastebuds '. Do try making these in your home kitchens and don't forget to post your feedback and comments stating how they turned out. Ingredients 8-10 baby eggplants (vertically slit for filling) 3-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped) 2 inch ginger (finely chopped) 2 green chili (finely chopped) 4 medium sized tomatoes (blanched and pureed) 2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp lemon juice Salt as per taste 3 tbsp vegetable oil Ingredients (For stuffing) 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 bay leaf 5-6 black pepper corns 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi daana) 1 tsp kalaunji seeds 1 tsp fennel (saunf) 1 tsp cumin 2 whole dried red chili 2 tsp dried

As rightly said, Navratris are more of a feasting celebrations rather than fasting. Many traditional snacks and puddings are made and savored during this time of the year; amongst most classic of the delicacies is the kuttu pakoras that are made using thin slices of potatoes, coated in buckwheat flour batter and fried till crisp. Here, is the step by step recipe for this traditional delicacy; hope you like it !     Kuttu ke Pakode Ingredients Kuttu ke Pakode 1 cup buckwheat flour 1 1/2 cup water or as needed 2 potatoes (cut into thin slices) 1 tsp lemon juice 1 green chilli finely chopped 1 inch ginger finely grated 2 tsp fresh finely chopped coriander Salt to taste 1 tsp black pepper powder Oil for frying Method Kuttu ke Pakode Kuttu ke Pakode 1. Make a thick batter of kuttu flour and add in the rest of the ingredients. Make sure potato slices coat well in the batter. 2. Fry the flour coated potato slices in medium hot oil until they

Also known as Sama, Samai, Varai and Samo, Samak Rice belong to the millet family and makes for a healthy replacement for rice during fasts, especially Navratris. You would be surprised to know that these rice are not a cereal but a fruit which comes from the grass that commonly grows amidst the paddy fields. Loaded with fiber, vitamin B-complex, zinc, manganese and anti-oxidants, Samak surely makes for a good choice for diabetics and heart patients too. Consumption of these rice also helps accelerate weight loss, so, anyone looking forward to shed some weight must include Samak in his/her daily diet routine. Eating Samak simply plain and boiled can surely be a tough and boring job, so, here I bring for you an interesting version of these rice which not only adds beautiful color to them but also makes them delectable and tasty. Do try making them in your kitchens and let me know how they turned out. Samak Rice Pulav Ingredients 1/2 cup samak rice (ba

A fusion of chickpea flour, curd, aromatic spices and deep fried pakodas (fritters), Punjabi Kadhi makes for a perfect Sunday lunch and goes well with plain boiled or steamed rice. Tangy flavor and smooth & silky texture of this delicious delicacy is simply to die for. Here is its step by step recipe. Hope you like it ! Punjabi Kadhi Ingredients (For Kadhi) Sour curd/yogurt -  3 cups Gram flour/ chickpea flour (besan) - 5 to 6 tbsp Mustard seeds (rai) - 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi daana) - 1/2 tsp Cumin (jeera) - 1 tsp Slit green chilies - 2 to 3 Salt - to taste Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Oil - 1/2 tbsp Water - 1 to 2 cups or as needed Punjabi Kadhi Ingredients (For Pakodas) Finely chopped onions - 1 cup Chickpea flour (besan) - 3 to 4 tbsp Finely chopped green chilies - 2 Dried pomegranate powder - 1 tsp Finely chopped coriander - a handful Coriander powder (dhaniya powder) - 1 tsp Red chili powder - 1 tsp Crushed fenugreek (

Loaded with nutrition of a variety of vegetables and delicious sweet corns, the piping hot " Sweet Corn Soup " makes for the most comforting food, especially on a chilly winter evening. Try it in your home kitchens this coming weekend and serve it hot with some crunchy appetizers or some noodles... Ingredients 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots 1/2 cup finely chopped french beans 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage 2 tsp finely chopped ginger 3 cups vegetable broth 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp sugar Salt to taste 2 tsp black pepper powder Some spring onion greens to garnish Method 1. Boil all the vegetables except cabbage in vegetable broth for about 15 minutes. 2. Add in the cabbage and let the soup boil further for 5 more minutes. 3. Add in salt, sugar and black pepper powder - mix well. 4. Make the cornflour slurry and add in the soup to thicken. 5. Let it boil for 5 more minutes and remove it in a serving bowl. Serve piping hot

Bursting with zingy and tangy flavors of ginger and orange, this delicious chicken recipe has its roots in the Chinese cuisine and makes for a delectable delight whether served with plain boiled rice or as a sole appetizer. Those interested in giving a try to this mouth-watering dishin their own home kitchens, are welcome to follow the recipe below. Ingredients 500 gms boneless chicken (cut into bite-size cubes) Juice of 1 fresh orange 2 inch grated ginger 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped) 2 tsp soya sauce 2 tsp vinegar 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp all purpose flour 2 tsp cornflour Salt to taste 2 tsp crushed black pepper Oil for frying Method 1. Marinate the chicken with 1/2 cup orange juice, half of the grated ginger & garlic, 1 tsp soya sauce, all purpose flour,1 tsp cornflour, salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Let it rest for 1 hour. 2. Now fry these chicken pieces in medium hot oil until they turn crisp; take them out in a bowl. 3. Prepare the sauce to coat th

Navratras are round the corner and most of us would be keeping fast during the 9 auspicious days. In case you have got bored of trying the normal fast delicacies, here I bring for you a teekhi-chatpati arbi recipe which will surely give a kick to your fasting taste buds. Do try it and don't forget posting your feedback on how it turned out. Ingredients 500 grams Arbi (Colocasia) Sendha Namak (as per your taste) 1 tsp black Salt 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur) 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 2 tbsp thick curd(slightly sweetened) 1 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney 1 tbsp green coriander mint chutney 1 tbsp chopped cucumber 1 tsp finely chopped green chillis For Garnishing Finely chopped coriander Few pomegranate seeds 1 tsp roasted/fried peanuts Method 1. Boil arbi for about 1 whistle in pressure cooker. 2. Peel off the skin. Press each arbi a little in your palms and fry until crispy. 3. In a serving platter, place the crispy arbi and top it up with all

Lip-smacking savoury titbits, Noodle Cutlets make for perfect party appetizers. Bursting with mild flavours and oozing with deliciousness of cheese and noodles, they are loved by kids too. In case, you have an upcoming party this weekend and you are looking for an easy snacks recipe, do try them. I am sure you will be showered with compliments from your guests. So, here goes the recipe.... Ingredients 1 boiled potato 1 cup boiled noodles 1/2 cup grated cottage cheese 2 tsp corn kernels 2 cloves garlic 1 inch ginger Some fresh coriander 1 green chilli 1 cup breadcrumbs Salt to taste 2 tsp black pepper powder 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning Oil for frying Method 1. Grate potato and cheese. 2. In a blender, make a smooth mixture of noodles, grated potato & cheese, corn kernels, garlic, ginger, coriander and green chilli. 3. In the mixture, add all the spices, bread crumbs and mix well to form a dough like consistency. 4. Grease your palms w

The succulent, juicy and creamy " Chicken Malai Tikka" is one Indian appetizer which brings a big smile on the face of every passionate foodie. The gastronomic favorite is a perfect blend of mild spices and silky texture with deliciousness of cream and cheese oozing out of its every bite. For those who are die hard fans of this royal delicacy and specially go out to restaurants to savour its exotic flavours, here I bring for them an easy recipe to prepare and enjoy this creamy tikka in the comfort of their own homes.  Ingredients 500 gms boneless chicken breast cut into bite size cubes 2 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp ginger/garlic/green chilli/coriander paste Salt to taste 1 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 2 tsp oil 1/2 cup fresh cream 1/2 cup hung curd 2 tsp corn flour 1/4 cup grated processed cheese Method 1. Marinate chicken with lemon juice, salt, black pepper powder, cardamom powder and green chilli paste. Keep it in the refrigera

Who doesn't like a flavour-bursting paapdi chaat or dahi bhalla? What if the same chaat is given a little twist? How about serving it in an edible tokri or a katori? If the idea sounds interesting, take a look at the recipe below which lists down the step by step procedure of making these tokris using plain all purpose flour.... Ingredients (makes 10-12 tokris) 2 cups all purpose flour (maida) 1/2 cup cooking oil 1 tsp carrom seeds (ajwain) Salt to taste 3/4 cup water Method 1. First add in oil to maida and mix them well until you get a bread crumb texture. 2. Next add in salt and ajwain and mix well. 3. Now, prepare a dough using water little by little. Make sure the dough is neither too soft nor too hard. 4. Leave the dough to rest for about half an hour covered with a muslin cloth. 5. After half an hour, again kneed the dough for 5 minutes and prepare small lemon sized balls from it. 6. Roll out the balls into a chapati. 7. Then take a steel katori, grease

Vegetable Hakka Noodles is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese delicacies that is served at almost every restaurant and fast food joint across India. Adapted so well to the local flavors and spices, it is not only children's favorite rather every grown-ups' preference too. Needless to say, during winter evenings, these noodles straight out of the kadhai of a local "thela wala", emanating a smoky aroma with that extra hotness of green chilies in every bite is just a bliss. However, for those instant cravings, one can't be running to the local street vendor. Therefore, the best way out is to always store a noodles packet in the pantry and make these bowls of deliciousness in your very own home kitchens. That ways you can also control the spiciness and hygiene off-course is an added advantage.   Though the recipe of hakka noodles is quite simple, there are couple of points that need to be taken care off -  1. Do not over-boil the noodles as it would make

A mouth-watering Tokri Chaat is an improved version of much popular Dahi-Paapdi Chaat. The tokri in this savoury snack is made in the shape of a mini basket, which is then stuffed with bhallas and crunchy mixture of sauteed sprouts, fried potatoes and dollops of yogurt topped with spicy-tangy chutneys. For the detailed recipe of this yummylicious street food, simply scroll through this page. And Yes! don't forget to leave your feedback in the comments section below. INGREDIENTS (for filling of 1 tokri) 2-3 mini bhallas 2 tsp sprouted moong (sauteed in a wok with roasted cumin powder, salt and chilli flakes) 2 tsp chopped coriander 2 tsp finely chopped onions 1 tsp finely chopped green chillis 1 tsp finely chopped tomatoes 2 tsp tamarind chutney 2 tsp green mint chutney 2 tbsp thick beaten curd (slightly sweetened) Salt to taste 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp chaat masala INGREDIENTS (for garnishing) 1/2 tsp chopped coria