Anshu's Food Odyssey

Winters are here and vegetable markets are teeming with greens such as spinach (palak), fenugreek (methi), mustard (sarso) and lamb's quarter (bathua). One can also find choliya (fresh green chickpeas) and sehjan ke phool (drumstick flowers) in abundance....and come January, my sabzi wala bhaiya would also get me "kachnaar ke phool" for which I eagerly await every year to make "Kachnaar aur Choliye" ki sabzi.... Oh My God, I am so excited even with a thought of this delectable sabzi, the recipe of which has been running in my Mum's family since ages....oh !! are you too excited to learn this secret recipe?? don't worry friends, wait for some time and I'll definitely be here with this secret and exotic recipe, but before that, let me share with you another beautiful recipe which makes use of our eternal winter favorites...paneer and palak. Now, it's not a usual palak-paneer recipe but, a twist to it in the form of koftas or fried dumplings that

Bored of eating the same old style chicken curry every time? If yes! then this spicy chicken in almond-tomato gravy is a perfect recipe for your sorts. Oozing with aromas and flavors of freshly ground spices along with goodness of almonds, it not only adds a spark to your casual dinner menu but, also makes for an ideal recipe to be served at cozy winter night dinner parties and get-togethers. For sure a keeper recipe, do bookmark it and try the next time you are looking forward to a hearty meal with friends and family. Ingredients Chicken (on bone) - 750 grams Onions (thinly sliced) - 2 Tomatoes (pureed) - 3 Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 tsp Garlic (finely chopped) - 2 tsp Ginger/Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp Thick whisked yogurt - 1 cup Almonds (blanched and peeled) - 1/2 cup Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 to 3 Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp Bay leaf - 1 Cinnamon stick - 1 inch Cloves - 2 to 3 Black pepper corns - 3 to 4 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Salt - 2 tsp (or as

" Paneer Butter Masala " is one vegetarian delicacy that is a must order on our table whenever we happen to be dining out. Succulent and juicy cottage cheese cubes dunked into a super luscious, silky and creamy tomato gravy with a perfect balance of sweetness, tartness and spiciness, simply provide for a finger-licking treat to our foodie taste-buds. A rustic taste and aroma of kasoori methi is what makes this delectable curry just out of this world. Wanna to have this right away but, not in a mood to go to a restaurant? No worries, try it out a home with this easy recipe; list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions given below. Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala Ingredients Paneer (cottage cheese, cut into cubes) - 250 grams Onion (medium size, roughly cubed) - 1 Red ripe tomatoes (medium size, cubed) - 5 Green chilies (slit) - 2 to 3 Ginger (roughly chopped) - 2 inch Cashews - 2 tbsp Garlic cloves - 4 to 5 Dry red chilies - 2 Coriander seeds - 2 ts

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

Punjabi's all-time favorite, Dal Makhani , is a delicacy that has carved its niche on the menu cards of restaurants not only in India but world-wide. Luscious, silky, creamy and buttery, its absolutely a treat for any and every food lover. Whenever we are dining out, its a must on our tables apart from one of our other few favorite dishes like Kadhai Paneer , Punjabi Chholey and Kashmiri Dum Aloo . And in case, we are opting for some non-veg, it has to definitely one of  Chicken Curry or Butter Chicken . Coming back to Dal Makhani, I tried various versions of the same a couple of times, but was never able to get the texture and flavors as that of a restaurant. This time when we were holidaying in Phuket, at one of the North Indian restaurants, we happened to savor this flavorful Dal Makhani. Requesting the chef, telling him how awesome the dal tasted, he was kind enough to share his secrets for this delicacy. When I got back home and tried making the dal using his recipe, I w

I started this blog just as a normal home chef and at that time, I did not have even slightest of an idea that my recipes would gain quite an appreciation in such a small time...today its been two and half months, and my Facebook Page has already reached 1000 + likes. For a home cook like me, it really counts as a big achievement and to celebrate it, I am here with a delectable dessert recipe which is one of my favorites, the classic chocolate glazed doughnuts . Oozing with the scintillating aroma and deliciousness of chocolate, they truly make for an awesome treat which can be served during high-tea gatherings, kids birthday celebrations, dinner parties or picnics. And yes, as its the month of Ramadan, you can also serve them for Iftari; they would surely make for a superb choice. Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts Ingredients (yields around 8 3" diameter doughnuts) All purpose flour - 2 + 1/2 cups Butter (cold) - 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar - 3 tbsp Milk - 1/2 cup Egg (whisked

Sunday being the only holiday during the week for my husband, he just wants to relax and have good food; starting right from the breakfast to lunch to dinner, his demand for something special in the menu is never-ending. Same thing happened today also when he came up asking for some good snacks with the evening tea. And his definition for ' good' is something which often gets zeroed down to all the fried stuff. Considering his well-being (like all the caring wives 😉), this time I opted not to feed him with anything fried and instead came up with these baked parcels that are further loaded with the goodness of soya and paneer, making them all the more healthy and nutritious. The best thing is, they were just loved by my husband and he could not resist admitting "baked snacks not at all taste bad as I always thought them to be....". So, just in case you are also looking for snacks that are healthier and at the same time delicious, this is a recipe must try. Make them