Anshu's Food Odyssey

Easy to cook, yummilicious in taste, low in calories and loaded with the goodness of veggies, vermicelli upma or  vermicelli pulav   is by far one of the most popular breakfast dishes all across India, although the style and way of making it varies from person to person. For example, I first boil the vermicelli separately and later toss it in cooked veggies, whereas there are people who cook veggies and vermicelli together. The only problem I face with the latter style of making this upma is that it often comes out mushy and that is the reason I avoid going that way. If you also come across the same issue, this recipe is surely gonna give you perfect results. One more thing, I use the roasted vermicelli (thanks to Bombino which has made our job much easier); in case you can't lay your hands on roasted vermicelli, dry roast it first until it attains a golden color and after that follow the steps listed below. Hope you have a wonderful time cooking this easy-peasy and health

Come winters, and my Mum is all geared up to make one of our most favorite winter delights, the divine and yummilicious Besan ke Laddoo . I still remember my childhood days when she would prepare dozens of these laddoos, loaded with whole lots of dryfruits such as almonds, raisins and often gond (edible gum); everyday both me and my sister were given a laddoo each with a glass of hot milk before we left for our schools...growing up, when we asked her about any specific reason for this kind of a daily ritual 😉😊 she told that besan keeps our bodies warm in chilled weather and also improves our immunity thus preventing us from catching cold and flu which is very common during the winter months. Whatever the reason may have been, I would only say that we simply loved our daily dosage of these tiny sweet little melt-in-mouth balls... Today, I am married and based out of Singapore, and though the weather here remains warm throughout the year, I still make a batch of these laddoos aro

I am always on a look out for recipes that are easy and quick to put together. One of my favorite amongst such recipes is of classic Spaghetti Aglio-e-Olio . Simple boiled pasta drizzled with garlic infused olive oil, a dash of chili flakes and some Parmesan makes for a perfect week night dinner when I am too tired or lazy to make anything elaborate. While this simple and vintage recipe in itself is such flavorful and aromatic, yet at times it may feel a little boring to have it the classic way. That is the reason, to make it look little more vibrant, I sometimes add few veggies to it. And today, I am here with my veggie version of this traditional Italian Spaghetti - Spaghetti Aglio-e-Olio with Mushrooms and Olives . Enjoy !! Spaghetti Aglio-e-Olio with Mushrooms and Olives Ingredients Dried Spaghetti - 1 pound (450 grams) Finely sliced garlic - 8 to 10 cloves Olive oil - 1/4 cup Butter - 2 tbsp Mushrooms (quartered) - 1 cup Black olives (sliced) - 1/4 cup Salt - as pe

" Kamal Kakdi" , also known as Bhein or Nadru , is actually the stem of lotus, which is believed to be very rich in nutrients, anti-oxidants and fibers. This vegetable is made quiet frequently at our home in different forms: " Kamal Kakdi aur Matar ki Sabzi " and " Kamak Kakdi Koftas " being most common of the curries. Besides, my father-in-law is a great fan of "Kamal Kakdi ke Pakode", recipe of which I shall be sharing in my forth-coming blogs. Until then, if you are looking for an exotic curry recipe that can be served for a lunch-dinner party or a potluck meal, this kofta curry is a must-try. Let's go through the ingredients and recipe. Kamal Kakdi aur Matar ke Koftey Ingredients (for koftas - yields 8 to 10 koftas) Kamal kakdi (lotus stem, grated) - 1 cup Potato (boiled, grated) - 1 cup Onions (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup Boiled/frozen green peas - 1/4 cup Ginger (grated) - 2 inch Garlic (finely chopped) - 2 to 3 cloves Gr

Since the time this food blogging bug has bit me, I am always on a lookout for ocassions when I can prepare something new and special (especially sweets and desserts) for my family and share its pictures and recipes with all my foodie friends. With last 15 days brimming with celebrations for Navratri , Dussehra and Karva Chauth , I was overwhelmed with such opportunities and came up with quite a number of festive sweets and dessert recipes including that of Meethi Mathri , Balushahi, Badaam aur Makhaane ki Kheer  and off-course my favourite, Bengali Sponge Rasgulla . The quest is not over yet and I am all geared up for trying few more traditional sweets before the Indian festive season comes to an end. So, here's one such mithai specially made for the upcoming Diwali celebrations - soft and melt-in mouth " Kesar Kalakand ". It has been prepared with the traditional method of thickening milk with the freshly made chhena until the mixture attains all that fudgy cons

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 -

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

Also known as Lady Finger or Okra, Bhindi is one vegetable which is loved by almost every Indian, especially the kids. While these green, tender, long and slim fingers can be cooked in a number of different ways, its their crispier version that tends to win the hearts of many. I first had these crispy okras at the 'Te Aroha Resort' during our holiday trip to Nainital and Dhanachuli. So crispy and loaded with a perfect blend of flavors, they got vanished from our dinner table in just no time. I instantly fell so in love with these gram flour coated bhindis that I could not resist myself requesting for the recipe from the chef....and he was too very kind enough to share his secret behind such flavorful lady fingers. So, here I am with one of the most exotic recipes that is sure to provide that wonderful burst of tanginess and spiciness to your taste-buds. Do try it and don't forget to leave your comments stating how it turned out. Kurkuri Besan wali

It had been quite a while since I had baked anything; my last baking adventure I remember was when I made these delicious, crunchy and crumbly Chocolate Marble Icebox Cookies  some 15-20 days back. So, the baking bug inside me was again ticking me to get up and provide some workout to my long resting hand and shoulder muscles (if you didn't know, baking is quite a good exercise and a relaxing therapy for your tired minds 😊). Yesterday only, I had bought a pack of fresh blueberries and rosemary from the supermarket with an idea of making a summer drink ..... but, as you know mind often plays fluky games 😉...so, I left the idea of the drink and got into the kitchen to bake this beautiful blueberry and rosemary focaccia bread and enjoyed it with my evening tea. If you too are fond of baking, go ahead and try this delicious bread and I promise, you will make it quite often.... Wholewheat Blueberry & Rosemary Focaccia Ingredients Wholewheat flour - 2 cups All purpose

Arbi Tuk is a very famous recipe which has its roots in the Sindhi cuisine. I first got a chance to savour this tongue-tickling delicacy at one of my Sindhi friend's home; crispy taro root bites bursting with tangy and spicy flavors were delectable enough to turn me into a great fan of this recipe the very moment I tasted them.....that is not all, when I first made this recipe at home, my husband too loved it and since then, whenever he gets to know that I have bought arbi from the market he is like 'please arbi tuk zaroor banana'....today also I made it on his request and thought of sharing the recipe with you all...also, just to tell you, I have given these tuks a chatpata achaari twist which definitely makes them all the more irresistible....do try them and have them as tea-time snack or as a side dish on your dinner table. Arbi Tuk Ingredients Arbi (Colocasia or Taro Root) - 18 to 20 pieces Oil - for deep frying Salt - as per taste Chaat Masala - 2 tsp Red

Dum Aloo is a popular delicacy which is prepared in various styles across different states in India; while Punjabi Dum Aloo is a bit subtle with creamy texture imparted because of the use of cashew nut paste, Kashmiri Dum Aloo has more of spicy flavors packed with aromas of fennel, asafoetida and ginger, which truly elevate the dish to another level. There is yet another variety of this famous vegetarian delicacy which has carved its niche on the Indian gastronomic map and it comes from the state of West Bengal; popularly known as ' Aloor Dum ', what makes it little different from the other variations is the prominent use of mustard oil in the gravy. Having said that, each variant of Dum Aloo is delectable in its own way and makes for a great dish to be served with roti, paratha, puri or rice. As far as today's recipe is concerned, I am here with Kashmiri Dum Aloo , other variations are on my to-do list and I would be presenting them very soon...so till then stay t