Anshu's Food Odyssey

Gulab Jamun is one of the most famous classic Indian sweets that is often considered a "MUST MAKE" during festivals and joyous occasions like birthdays, marriages or family get togethers. It is traditionally made using khoya (milk solids) wherein the khoya is kneaded into a soft dough along with some flour, shaped into little balls, deep fried and finally dunked into a cardamom or rose flavored sugar syrup.   Super soft, melt-in-mouth and absolutely delicious, these jamuns  are undoubtedly a treat for anyone and everyone. With festive season just knocking at the door, I thought it to be the perfect time to share the recipe of these little plump balls of deliciousness with you all. Though making Gulab Jamuns is not a rocket science, still it requires a little skill and a whole lot of patience. Plus, there are a few tips and pointers (listed below) that you always need to take care off to get those halwai style melt-in-mouth gulab jamuns. Following all these tips, I am

Dhokla is a savory steamed cake often made from fermented batter of lentils and rice; this light, fluffy and spongy snack finds its origin in the state of Gujarat,  India. Well! for me, it is one of the most healthiest and delicious snacks that I love to devour anytime of the day, be it in breakfast, as a mid day munchie or along with my evening cuppa. Having said that, prepping for this delectable savory cake is a long and tedious task - soaking the lentils and rice overnight, grinding them to a batter and again resting it for fermentation - so you know what I mean to say right? 😂 Therefore, I am always on a lookout for recipes that are quick and simple yet yield the same result that we get going the traditional way. If you remember the KHAMAN DHOKLA that I made last week, it was one of those quick and instant snacks that require no long waits and come out as scrumptious as their conventional counterparts. This 3 Grain Dhokla is yet another one such instant recipe that is pa

Barfi is an Indian fudge mostly made with milk solids known as khoya or khoa in Hindi. Needless to say, it is one of the most common delicacies to be served during festivals like Diwali , Holi , Eid and Ganpati Utsav to name a few. While this traditional sweet comes in a lot of flavors, the " khoya chocolate barfi " is the one that is most liked in our family. Again, there are a lot of variants to khoya choco barfi as well; the layered variety is the most conventional and is widely available in markets. Besides, there is another version that looks a complete chocolate barfi but is actually a blend of khoya with cocoa. What I make often around the time of festivities is yet another variant of this delicious fudge that is not only an amalgamation of milk solids with cocoa powder but also has a beautiful touch of almond paste which helps impart it a great flavor and adds to its nutritional value. Also, I love to shape this simple barfi into a roll for that added appea

Khaman Dhokla is one of the most popular Gujarati snacks that is made with gram flour (chickpea flour) and which makes for a quite healthy and nutritious option to satiate those sudden hunger pangs. Owing to its steamed cooking style, it is also a guilt-free choice, perfect for the weight watchers and those looking to shed few extra kilos. Needless to say, made using chickpea flour, it is gluten-free and provides for an ideal snacking option for the ones sensitive to gluten. Technically speaking, Khaman and Dhokla are two different snacks; the latter one originally made from a batter of chana dal and rice fermented overnight. As fermentation is a bit time taking process, Khaman comes to the rescue and provides for an instant substitute with no fermentation hassles. Absolutely soft and spongy, plus loaded with a medley of flavors: a bit sweet, bit tangy and bit spicy, it is one of my go-to recipes when it comes to satiating my taste buds asking for some " chatpata snack

Festivities like Ganesh Chaturthi , Dussehra and Diwali are just around the corner. For me, this is the most awaited time of the year with decked up markets, a little chill in the air and happiness all around, emanating an aura of positivity and elation in each and every heart. This is also the time when I gear up for the celebrations indulging in shopping, decorating the house and offcourse preparing some traditional sweets and savories at home for all my friends and family. While last year, I made this melt-in-mouth kalakand , vanilla sandesh with strawberry dust and Punjabi style meethi mathri , this time I am planning to go ahead and make this popular sweet from the state of Gujarat: the sweet sata also called as thor . Traditionally, sata is a deep fried pastry, but just to keep the calorie count low this festive season , I decided to go a healthy way and instead of frying, opted to bake them. Trust me, they came out as flaky, crispy and delectable. If you are also looki

Kheer is one of the most famous and loved desserts in India; be it any festival or auspicious occasion such as Diwali , Holi , Eid or Raksha Bandhan , it is one delicacy that finds a top place on the festive menu . Having said that, kheer is of different types and can be made with varied ingredients depending on the occasion and the region. While the most traditional version of kheer that can be found across India is the kheer made with rice, yet there are other farali versions too that are often made during the festival of Navratris and the holy month of Shravan, when many Hindus observe fasts and abstain from having any grains in their meals . Amongst all the farali versions,  sabudane (sago pearls) ki kheer is byfar the most common and is literally enjoyed by anyone and everyone. I too am fond of this delicious kheer and make it whenever there's an opportunity. For past few weeks, I have started observing fasts on Thursdays and as an offering (prashad), I try to make som

I remember how much I loved the chocolate sandwich biscuits in my childhood. Filled with a luscious, lickable chocolate cream sandwiched between layers of crisp and crunchy cookies, they were my best accompaniment to a glass of milk every morning. Even today, these biscuits happen to be my weakness; though we can easily get a variety of them from store, the satisfaction of baking these lovely beauties at home is simply inexplicable. Plus the heavenly chocolaty aroma that fills through the kitchen is something that instantly transports you to another world. No wonder, I am always in a lookout for reasons and occasions to bake them.. If you think baking them is a daunting task, let me tell you, its quite a simple chore much like baking any other biscuits. The only new thing with them, is making a butter cream frosting which also takes just a couple of minutes that too with only a few basic ingredients in hand. I must say the end result is simply fantastic with crunchy biscuit laye