Anshu's Food Odyssey

Karva Chauth is one of the most awaited festivals in Northern and parts of Western India after Deepavali; a pious festival during which the married women fast for a whole day praying for the well-being and long life of their husbands. The fast gets started early in the morning just before sunrise and gets opened only after offering a small prayer to the moon. During the fasting duration, women abstain themselves from eating or drinking anything, even water. The preparations of this vivacious fest generally gets started about a week in advance; decked up markets with stalls selling anything and everything ranging from cosmetics, bangles and jewelry to traditional sweets and delicacies. Women queued up at Henna stalls waiting to get beautiful designs tattooed on their hands is truly a sight to behold. Needless to say, if someone visits Northern India during the time of Karva Chauth and Deepavali, he is sure to be smitten by the awe and grandeur of the mesmerizing festivities. W

Achaari Arbi Fry has always been one of my favorite arbi recipes since childhood. Coated in a spicy-tangy masala comprising of crushed fenugreek, fennel and onion seeds, it certainly makes for a tongue -tickling side dish that goes fantastically well with tadke wali moong ki daal or even plain simple raita. This is one dish that I try to make at-least once a week as it's also loved by my husband. Besides, when it comes to arbi dishes, there are few more recipes that you may want to give a try; " Chatpate Achaari Arbi Tuk " and my " No Onion-Garlic Punjabi Style Tamatar wali Arbi " are few of them. Without wasting any time further, let's get started with the recipe of " Achaari Arbi Fry ". Punjabi Style Achaari Arbi Fry Ingredients 1. Arbi/Taro Root (peeled and sliced thinly) - 2 cups 2. Salt - as per taste 3. Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1 tsp 4. Jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp 5. Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1 tsp 6. Red chili powder -

Loaded with the goodness of fresh berries and topped with crunchy nuts & muesli, this pink smoothie bowl makes for a perfect way to give a kick start to your day. Whether returning from a brisk morning walk or a regressive gymming session, a bowl of this thick blend of yogurt and fruits, with a drizzle of little honey is sure to leave you all energized and rejuvenated. Plus, it is so easy and quick to put together, that it will give all the working women the much-needed relief from knocking their heads down carving a new breakfast menu every day; simply try different variations, using different fruits each day - you can even add flavorful pie spices and nuts to make it all the more wholesome.      Pink Smoothie Bowl Ingredients (serves 2) Greek yogurt - 2 cups Honey - 2 tbsp Vanilla extract - 1 tsp Chopped strawberries - 1/4 cup Blueberries - 1 tbsp Raspberries - 1 tbsp Fresh fruits and muesli (for topping) - a handful Pink Smoothie Bowl Method 1. Blend all i

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,

Matar Makhana Curry is a popular delicacy that most of us have tasted and love. This ' Khoya Makhana Paneer ki Sabzi ' is a no onion-garlic variation of the same and makes for a perfect side dish to be savored alongside Samak Pulav or Kuttu ki Poori during the auspicious days of Navratri. Needless to say, khoya in this beautiful curry makes it quite rich, also lending it a subtle creamy taste. If you want, you can also add some nuts to make it even more sumptuous. And off-course, it makes for a great dish to be relished during non-fasting days as well; pair with a lachcha parantha or naan and you are all set for an exquisite meal. Let's take a look at the recipe below. Khoya Makhana Paneer ki Sabzi [No Onion-Garlic Recipe] Ingredients 1. Paneer (cut into bite size cubes) - 1 1/2 cups 2. Phool Makhana (Lotus Seeds) - 15 to 20 3. Khoya (crumbled) - 2 tbsp 4. Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 tsp 5. Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 tsp 6. Tomatoes (medium size, pu

The Vanilla & Choco Chip Biscotti  that I baked a few days back got finished in less than a week. So, it was again time for me to bake another batch of cookies that I could enjoy with my cup of tea. With few basic ingredients that are always present in our pantry, I came with these delicious and crunchy biscuits that instantly took me in awe of their taste. Trust me, if you make them once, I can guarantee you would never want to get those store bought almond biscuits again. Take a look at the recipe below. Eggless Coffee Almond Biscuits Ingredients (yields about 2 dozen) Plain flour - 1 cup Almond flour - 1/2 cup (you can easily make this at home by coarsely grinding almonds in a mixi jar) Unsalted butter (room temperature) - 1/2 cup Icing sugar - 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp Almond essence - 1 tsp Milk - approx. 1 tbsp Baking powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - a pinch Instant coffee powder (dissolved in a few drops of water) - 2 tsp Eggless Coffee Almond Biscuits