Anshu's Food Odyssey

Come monsoons and my tastebuds start craving for all the chatpata fried stuff starting right from our very own comforting pakoras and bhajjis to spicy samosas and kachoris. While they make for an unmatched treat along with a cup of "garma garam adrak wali chai" (hot ginger tea) on a lovely rainy evening, just to add some variety to my list of monsoon snackers , this time I thought of getting away from the regular stuff and try something new. I had heard of these delicious beetroot croquettes from my husband who spent almost 5 to 6 years of his childhood in Kolkata. The idea of using beetroot is what that instigated me (obviously because of its nutritional value and amazing color) and with lots of it readily lying in my refrigerator, I had another reason of actually trying out this popular delicacy from the streets of Bengal: the sweet & spicy Beetroot Chops , also famously referred to as Vegetable Chops in some parts of the region. What I know so far is, they ar

Delhi is burning these days with temperature rising over 40 degrees C. In such a scorching heat, it seems a horrendous job standing in kitchen for hours cooking elaborate meals. So, I am always in a lookout for simple meals that can be cooked in a jiffy yet are wholesome, delicious and nutritious in every possible way. With that being said, to make such recipes, I often make use of the leftovers which obviously helps me put together a nice dish in minimum possible time. One such easy and quick recipe that I made lately is this " Stir Fried Chickpea and Spinach Rice ". I already had some plain cooked rice and boiled chickpeas from last day's lunch lying in the refrigerator; all I did was tossed them up with some spices, chopped garlic and spinach and I was instantly ready with this yummilicious one pot meal. My family completely enjoyed it some boondi-mint raita and papad on the side. A simple and must try recipe, do try it out !!  Indian Style Stir Fried C

If you have been following my blog, you would know how much I love making drinks with fresh seasonal fruits. And since its peak summer time in Delhi with mercury raising to almost 43 degrees C, there can be no better way than freshly homemade juices and lemonades to keep oneself sufficiently hydrated, also not indulging in those chemical loaded packaged stuff. While the markets these days are flooded with bounties like mangoes, melons, plums, peaches, cherries and litchis....I also found these delicious ripe pears at one of the fruit stalls; instantly picked them up with the idea of making this refreshing pear spritzer (because I had already tried some yummilicious drinks using mangoes, peaches and litchis, so obviously wanted to experiment something new...a food blogger's mind you know :) ). As I reached home, browsed the net what other ingredient could blend with these delicious stone fruits. The recipe of pineapple and jalapeno cocktail at one of the food blogs grabbed my a

Come summers and I eagerly wait for two of the most incredibly delicious fruits of the season: cherries and litchis. So colorful, juicy and flavorful, they have been my favorites since childhood. Though I love to eat them as is, being a foodie and off-course a food blogger , I also try to put them to use in different food preparations as well. For those who have been following my blog would know how much I love to play with different ingredients especially when it comes to drinks and beverages ; for instance my recipe of " Peach Pomegranate & Rose Agua Fresca " was the outcome of one such experiment. Not to exaggerate, it was truly loved by my family and friends; and believe me, it remained in great demand at our place for days..... But as you would agree, after a while, it tends to get a little boring, tasting the same old flavors every now and then. So, finally it was time for me to again come up with some new and interesting recipe that would help beat this sco

In this scorching summer heat, there's only one thing which keeps me going through the day and that is fresh homemade chilled drinks such as juices, mocktails and lassis (buttermilk). Well I agree that there's a considerable effort that goes in making everything fresh at home but then its worth all the hard work because at the end of the day you are not taking in something which is full of sugar, artificial colors and harmful preservatives. And yes! my family loves my fruity concoctions so I am even more motivated to treat them with something new and refreshing every other day. Last few days, I had mangoes pouring in my refrigerator. Like literally, whenever my husband or father-in-law went to the fruit market, they returned home with kilos of mangoes. If you have been following my blog you would remember how I put them to use - by making lassis, kulfis and popsicles. In a quest to experiment with a fruit other than mangoes, this time I requested them to also get about a

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 , Man