Anshu's Food Odyssey

Sooji ka Halwa or the Indian Semolina Pudding is one of the most popular desserts made across India, especially on auspicious occasions and festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi , Holi and Diwali . Having said that, every household follows its own way of preparing this soul satisfying halwa, yielding in different tastes, colors and textures. The recipe that I am going to share today is my Mum's, which is a keeper and has never ever failed me so far. It calls for a patient roasting of sooji on low heat along with some besan till it attains a nice deep golden hue. Yes, you read that right! my Mum always added a little besan (gramflour) to the halwa for a beautiful taste and texture. And I guess, the patient roasting is another key that imparted it a great color. I still remember my childhood days when this halwa was prepared on the day of Durga Ashtami for Kanya Pujan ; me and my sister would sit back impatiently and wait for the pooja to get over so that we could just dig in th

Mirchi Vada is a popular street food from the colorful state of Rajasthan in India. A bit spicy with tongue tickling flavors, it is made by first stuffing the de-seeded green chilies with a delectable potato filling, coating them with a seasoned gram-flour batter and then deep frying to get one of the most yummilicious snacks on earth. Generally served with green and tamarind chutneys on the side, it is quite an addictive stuff and makes for a perfect recipe to go with a cup of hot tea, especially on chilled winter evenings.  Don't get intimidated by the fact that this snack is made with green chilies because the chilies that generally go in making these fritters are actually one of the most mildest of the varieties (called the Bhavnagari Chilies), plus they are de-seeded to get rid of all the heat. A little tip for the ones living out of India and who cannot lay their hands on Bhavnagarai Chilies, they can make these fritters using the jalapeno peppers; just de-seed the pe

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