Anshu's Food Odyssey

The week started off on a satisfying note with me being able to successfully make the Pita Breads on skillet. After thoroughly enjoying these soft beauties with falafels and hummus , it was now time to give them a non-vegetarian twist; and that is when I thought of treating my family with the beautiful chicken pita pockets. The recipe is quite simple which anyone can easily prepare at home; if you are keen on making something 'hatke' from the Indian cuisine for lunch/dinner tonight, these delicious chicken pockets would definitely make for a great choice. Ingredients (serves 2) Store bought or homemade Pita Breads - 2 (cut into halves) Boneless chicken breasts - 2 (cut into thin strips) Beaten curd - 1 cup Cinnamon - 1 inch Coriander seeds - 2 tsp Cumin seeds - 2 tsp Cloves - 5 to 6 Green cardamom - 3 to 4 Nutmeg - 1/8 of a piece Black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp Fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp Vinegar - 2 tsp Dry ginger - 1/2 inch Olive oil - 1/2 tbsp Salt - 2 t

As a kid, I remember in the scorching heat of summers whenever I returned from school in the afternoon, my mum kept a cooler drink ready which used to be made with Roohafza and Tragacanth Gum, more commonly known as Gond Katira in Hindi. I am not sure if many people know about this gum that comes from a shrub and is loaded with immense cooling properties which keeps our bodies at bay from heat strokes and thermic fevers. After a long time, I saw this gum in the shelf of a supermarket which instantly struck me with an idea of making a summer drink using this exotic ingredient. So, here I came with this cooling and refreshing Black Grapes Cranberries & Gond Katira Cooler. Ingredients Black grapes - 2 cups Cranberries - 1 cup Gond Katira - 1 tbsp Sugar - 2 tbsp (adjust according to your taste) While Salt - as per taste Black Salt - 1/4 tbsp Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/8 tbsp Lemon Juice - 1/2 tbsp Method 1.  Soak the gond katira in a cup of water for about 2 to 3 hou

On my recent visit to one of the famous Lebanese restaurants here in Singapore, I was instantly taken by their big, fluffy and melt-in-mouth Pita Breads ; an absolute contrast to the thick ones which we normally get in the super-markets and grocery stores. So impressed by their thinner and lighter texture, I could not resist myself from once again fiddling with the dough, the very next day in order to make these soft beauties. To my greatest joy, the results were simply awesome - warm and soft Pita Breads, which my family thoroughly enjoyed with falafel and hummus . Ingredients All purpose flour (maida) - 1 + 1/2 cups Whole wheta flour - 1 + 1/2 cups Milk - 1/2 cup Water - 1/2 cup Active dry instant yeast - 2 + 1/4 tsp Salt - 1 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp Olive oil - 2 tbsp Method 1. We will first start making the dough. For that, combine water and milk and heat to a temperature that you can easily immerse your finger in the same. 2. Add in sugar and yeast in the warm milk-w

Dals or lentils are one food item which are normally prepared as curries; away from the league is this recipe of urad dhuli dal which is cooked dry in onion-tomato masala and tastes awesome with simple chapatis, naans and paranthas. If you have never had a dry dal before, this delicacy is a must try. Punjabi Style Dry Urad Dal | Dry Spiced Split Black Gram Lentils   Ingredients Urad dhuli dal or skinned split black gram lentils - 1 cup Medium sized onion (finely chopped) - 1 Medium sized tomatoes (finely chopped) - 2 Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 inch Garlic cloves (finely chopped) - 5 to 6 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Salt - as per taste Red chili powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsp Turmeric - 1/2 tsp Kasoori methi powder (dried fenugreek) - 1 tsp Garam masala powder - 1 tsp Cooking oil - 2 tbsp Water - 1 and 1/2 cups Punjabi Style Dry Urad Dal | Dry Spiced Split Black Gram Lentils  

A " must have " for the Thai Green Curry , this paste is quite easy to make at home and takes no less than 10 minutes if you have all the ingredients ready. Let's take a look at the recipe below. Ingredients Green Chili Peppers (preferably Thai Green Chili) - 10 to 12 Shallots (small onions) - 3 to 4 Cloves - 5 to 6 Coriander leaves and roots of a small bunch of coriander Basil leaves - 8 to 10 Coriander seeds - 1 tsp Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Lemongrass stalks (bottom part, finely chopped) - 5 to 6 Galangal (finely chopped) - 2 inch Kafir lime leaves (finely chopped) - 4 to 5 Lemon juice - 2 tsp Salt - 2 tsp Method 1. Blend all ingredients together with few drops of water to a fine paste and your green curry paste is ready in no time. Refrigerate and it will last for week to 10 days.

Whenever we go to a Thai restaurant, one dish which is a ' MUST-HAVE ' on our tables is the Thai Green Curry ! Exotically flavorful and aromatic with perfect balance of spiciness, tanginess and sweetness, it makes for an appetizing treat to our Thai food-Craving taste-buds. If you too are a fan of Thai food, I am sure, you would love this curry which I made at home with an assortment of vegetables. Needless to say, it is not an authentic recipe and has been customized to suit the Indian palettes. Ingredients Store bought or homemade Thai Green Curry Paste - 3 tbsp Coconut milk - 2 cups Water - 1 cup Cauliflower/Broccoli - 8 to 10 florets Carrots (thinly sliced) - 1/2 cup Baby corns (thinly sliced) - 1/2 cup Zucchini (thinly sliced, if easily available) - 1/4 cup Red and Yellow bellpeppers (cubed) - 1/4 cup Mushrooms (big cubes) - 1/4 cup Pea Brinjals (Thai eggplants, optional) - 8 to 10 Tofu or Paneer - 8 to 10 medium sized cubes. Fish Sauce or Salt - 3 tsp

No No No ! This dish has nothing to do with our honorable Delhi's CM Mr. Arvind Kejriwal..... This popular eggs breakfast recipe finds its origin in one of the premier Golf Clubs in Mumbai and has been named after their esteemed member Mr. Deviprasad Kejriwal (way back in 1960s). Here is an excerpt from India Today on the history of this beautiful delicacy: Kejriwal, a conservative Marwari businessman, could not eat eggs at home. So he would gorge on this sumptuous breakfast at the club after a round of golf. He would ask the waiter to make it with a slice of cheese, fried egg and green chillies, Ajay Kejriwal, Devi Prasad's nephew was quoted saying by Times of India. "It got its name because other members would say , 'Get us what Kejriwal is eating'." Eggs Kejriwal is today a popular delicacy globally and tops the food item list in New York. Though the authentic recipe calls for a simple bread slice topped with cheese and half fried egg, I have tried