Let’s Get Cooking!
Small Plates
Some days you just need an unapologetically easy meal, and for those days I rely on good quality store-bought ingredients to expedite getting meals on the table.
Suva ni bhaji is a vegetable that is cooked with dill leaves in a lot of Gujarati households. Now most folks don’t like it, dill has a distinct, strong flavor. So instead of the traditional method, I took inspiration from the Lebanese dish - Batata Harra (Spicy Potatoes), and combined it with crispy roasted potatoes.
Smashed Potatoes with Mixed Seeds Tadka is a highly addictive snack or a side for your dinner gathering. They are great accompaniments with tea as well! The smashed potatoes are inspired by a dry potato sabji commonly eaten in Gujarati and Maharashtrian households - sukhi bhaaji.
A southern favorite and a ton of desi nostalgia, joined with subtle, citrusy flavor makes one killer snack! If you fancy a healthy snack or a memory trip to those after-school snacks, you have come to the right place.
In Ayurveda, dates and ghee are considered rich in Ojas. Using this as my inspiration, I came up with a delicious snack/dessert which combines the goodness of dates and ghee, and elevates it with a stuffing of ricotta and dried apricots. Warming the dates in ghee is an excellent touch - makes the dates soft and chewy, and who doesn't like a warm dessert!
Pretty, total yummers, and comes together quickly - really great for those last minute appetizer ideas and an eye candy addition to your Diwali potluck/party! Works great for Thanksgiving apps or any holiday menu 😊
Chevdo is a crispy, addictive savory snack made of poha aka beaten/flattened rice flakes and other yummy bits. The Chevdo made for Diwali has poha fried in oil, and even when it is roasted, the amount oil is considerable. Now yes, thats how it's made and maybe thats how grandma made it. But we don't have the same lifestyle as grandma, so it doesn't make sense to eat everything the same way. Sure, there are some things that are better pristine, but a lot can reimagined in our modern context and updated lifestyles. Don't you agree?
Back in India, my mum used to make homemade croutons long before I knew what “croutons“ were. She uses ghee as the prime roasting agent, which partakes a lovely light nutty flavor and help lower glycemic index of otherwise high carb bread. I added herbs to mum’s original recipe and it works great for soups and salads alike!
A one sheet meal that requires minimal ingredients so easy to put together and is equally effortless to make. The flavors on this one are going to blow your mind. Mildly sweet and nutty squash with aromatic and wonderful tasting curry leaves will make this baby #1 on your regular weekly menu.
Breakfast/Brunch
Amaranth grains or rajgira is full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and all nine essential amino acids. It has become a GF staple in our household. The porridge is a warm and nourishing breakfast that prepares itself with occasional supervision while I empty the dishwasher and complete other small morning chores.
Using adai as my inspiration, I made an extremely protein-packed version with lentils and quinoa, and to make them even more fun, turned them into savory waffles. They are an excellent hot & filling breakfast, perfect for a weekend, and best enjoyed with spicy coconut chutney!
Instead of sharing a specific smoothie recipe, I am equipping you with a template that I follow. It will allow you to make daily breakfast smoothie that is nutritionally dense - loaded with leafy greens, low on sugar, protein packed. A perfect start to your day!
Salads, Raitas & Pickles
Cape gooseberries or Rasbhari, as they are known in India, are a delight when eaten raw or cooked. Due to their slightly pineappl-y, tangy flavor, these gooseberries work beautifully in chutneys. Dried apricots in this recipe balance the tanginess of cape gooseberries well, and with a little warmth from ginger, transform into a bright, perky chutney.
It would seem as though the spirit of Ottolenghi joined me in the kitchen today & inspired this FRESH BUTTER BEANS & PURPLE YAM SALAD W/ HERB CHIMICHURRI. Doesn't it look like something you'd find in one of his cookbooks; veggie forward, gorgeous contrasting colors, paired brilliantly with herbs?
Indian Gooseberries are loaded with vitamin C and E that increase immunity and fight off free radicals. Therefore, great to eat in fall/winter. By itself, Gooseberries have sharp and sour taste, so the best way to eat them is by brining in salted turmeric water.
The matchstick-thin slices of turmeric root is pickled in salt and lemon juice, and are ready to be eaten within two days and refrigerated. A tbsp of the pickle eaten with meals, packs a punch with it’s immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, blood-purifying and tons of other benefits.
Pickling, drying, making preserves and jams or murabbo/chundo as we Gujaratis called it, are some traditional style of preserving seasonal produce that I have come across most commonly. Murabba is a sweet preserve made predominantly of seasonal unripe summer mangoes.
I used seasonal citruses - blood oranges and oranges, paired them with Fenugreek leaves, drizzled lightly warmed olive oil to reduce their bitterness and topped with toasted crushed coriander seeds and I am loving the combo!
Rotis & Breads
Parathas with achaar (pickle) was something mum learned from her friend. She’d make it with “gol keri” - a sweet and spicy mango pickle. It was a tasty, travel-friendly paratha; you could just roll ‘em up and dunk in the hot chai that so alluring calls your name at the train station…
Curries & Entrees
I love a protein-packed one pot meal loaded with greens. Especially, when it's made with ultra nutritious moringa. There is a reason why moringa tree is call a ‘miracle tree’. The leaves are rich in antioxidants, in a whole slew of vitamins and minerals, fight inflammation, lower sugar and cholesterol.
Sprouted matki/ moth beans are a delight in so many ways - quick to make, less ingredients, protein-packed, and a one-pot meal. Sprouts are paraboiled and paired with yogurt, chopped raw onions, cilantro, a hefty squeeze of lemon and sev.
The kachori mix is crunched up in phyllo pastry sheets, baked, drizzled with yogurt, three kinds of chutneys, onions, cilantro, sev and pomegranate arils (if doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will). Kachori Parcels will remind you of mum or your fave chaatwala without the trauma of frying. Spectacular, no?
Dano is a winter dish that celebrates abundance – abundance of local corn, of ghee, of friends and family, of happiness. Desi Makai no Dano is an iconic dish made by the people of Dahod that celebrates the abundance of desi corn grown in the Panchmahal region. Dano derives its name from the Gujarati word for corn kernels – makai na dana; a dish made from dana became known as dano ( daa-no) – desi makai no dano.
Broccoli florets are tossed in avocado oil, tandoori masala and salt seasoning, charred on grilled or regular iron skillet, and served with creamy, tangy, medium spicy (😉) yogurt sauce.
Upma is a porridge-like dish from southern India. It’s made of semolina and commonly eaten as breakfast or snack. It was my one of favorite things to eat at grandmas; my aunts/mamis would make it for us cousins in the summer afternoons when we’d come running in the kitchen with our tummies rumbling.
At one of my childhood homes, we were next door neighbors to a family from Kerala. Their youngest college-going daughter was my idol - I loved how she carried fresh mogra flowers in her ebony black hair, how she talked with kindness and played with me and my sister for hours.
The best thing about Soba is you don’t need complicated creamy sauces or special ingredients and that’s why it’s perfect to make when you are low on groceries.
This bad boy has a flavorful veggie patty that resembles the cutlet you get in a frankie (Indian fast food) #IYKYK. With veggies, Amul cheese, chaat masala, and Maggi Ketchup, this is going to trigger memories of your favorite college fast food joint!
This is a perfect make-ahead and crowd-friendly meal, ideal for a picnic or a to-go.
Sips
I combined seasonal summer stone fruit from India - falsa, with cooling rose. Not only do these together make a tasty summer cooler, but a fragrant one too. The purple hues of falsa, and lemon slices and edible flower garnish make Falsa & Rose Sparkling Sherbet an eye candy!
Your favorite cozy spot, a good book and a cuppa steaming vegan hot chocolate. Need I say more?
Instead of sharing a specific smoothie recipe, I am equipping you with a template that I follow. It will allow you to make daily breakfast smoothie that is nutritionally dense - loaded with leafy greens, low on sugar, protein packed. A perfect start to your day!
This elevated OJ with carrot & turmeric root juice is a super simple way to start your day and feel good from the INSIDE OUT!
Indian inspired lemonade with toasted cumin and black pepper, elevated with a fancy sugar span garnish.
Turmeric Nut Milk or A good night’s sleep hug in a mug 💤. Nut milk, turmeric, adaptogens, black pepper, ghee and saffron - everything you need for a relaxing stress-free wind down after all the super-person work you do 💪
Soups
It all started with my oregano plant that has been growing like the giant beanstalk. If you don't see me posting for a while, I might be caught up in the castle of the unfriendly giant. Fee-fi-fo-fum! 👻
Indian tomato soups aren’t as tart as those I find in the U.S. or the more frequent bisque-style ones. I reckon there is a higher inkling for sour than tart for Indian taste buds. This soup hits just that note with pepper, a little of garlic and bay leaf. It’s non-fussy to make, and with homemade ghee-roasted croutons (see recipe), it’s super comforting.
Spicy lemongrass and curry leaf clear soup broth is lightly scented and flavored with lemongrass and fragrant curry leaves. The black pepper and jalapeños give it the sinus clearing kick you need on cold, frigid days. Addition of cooked brown rice adds a dense nutrition profile and profile to an otherwise low-key broth and makes it super filling.
Desserts & Sweets
Like perfect couples, it is a coming together of the opposites - the bitter and sweet, the warm and the cold. The play of the contradictories juxtaposes so beautifully, that you’ll want to uplevel your coffee break. The moment the cold kulfi and warm coffee start to become one and the lines begin to blur is my favorite moment to dig into the Kulfi Affogato.
Zero sugar dessert for a hot summer day? Count me in! Absolutely clean ingredients - strawberries, coconut water, mint leaves and raspberries in a mold and in the freezer for 5-6 hours! That’s literally all it takes.
Thandai meets Madeleines meets Rasmalai meets a fun holi vibe. Colorful madeleines are dunked in spicy, nutty thandai (recipe I shared recently - checkout link in bio) to create this holi-inspired dessert.
Uttarayan🪁 meant two days of non-stop kite-flying on the nani's terrace with the cousins, with plates of seasonal goodies perfect for the cool winters. The one almost synonymous to the festival is chikki. I love the unhulled, nuttier black sesame so much. That, when paired with sumac flavored chocolate ganache is a flavor combo to revel in.
Magaz is made with besan/chickpea gram flour, ghee, sugar and cardamom for flavoring and topped with a generous amount of slivered almonds. I added dry ginger powder to add extra warmth to the fudge (and your body!) The best replacement I have done is use monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar, making it a truly healthy dessert.
In Ayurveda, dates and ghee are considered rich in Ojas. Using this as my inspiration, I came up with a delicious snack/dessert which combines the goodness of dates and ghee, and elevates it with a stuffing of ricotta and dried apricots. Warming the dates in ghee is an excellent touch - makes the dates soft and chewy, and who doesn't like a warm dessert!
NANKHATAI are sweet, salty, eggless - very much like the shortbread cookies. These are spiced with a light chai masala flavor and baked with ghee, yielding a nutty, buttery backdrop. They are perfect with tea and coffee!
One of the most forgiving and unfussy bake is a crumble. Super adaptable to the fruit you have at hand. Rhubarb crumble is quick to assemble and gluten free! The sweet-tart rhubarb flavors are paired with vegan cardamom ice cream. Even if you aren’t lactose intolerant or vegan, the vegan cardamom ice cream made using coconut cream is delightful! It’s deemed to be a household hit.
Shrikhand or flavored strained yogurt, is the creamiest, yummiest and fastest indian dessert you can ever make! To get nice and thick Shrikhand that would put store-bought ones to shame, you want to start with a really good quality full fat greek yogurt. I use Fage yogurt - it’s my absolute favorite. It’s less tart than any other yogurts I’ve tried and great for making Kadhi and Shrikhand.
Traditionally, ghughri is made with whole wheat grains on Uttarayan (kite-flying festival) in Gujarat. I gave it my twist and made it a low gluten alternative - Farro and turned it into a nice wholesome dessert. This Farro's got ghee, cardamom and jaggery working for it. All I have to say is - you will love it!
Seasonal fruit, fragrant spices and nutty brown butter - this delicious combination comes together to make a wonderful people-pleasing cake. One of the best things about the cake? It’s gluten-free!
Milk Peda meets thumb-print Cookies meets sprinkle-coated Donut - all the wonderful stuff into this mouth-watering, halwai*quality Rose & P
Strawberries by itself are delightful, but especially more when you combine it with cream and nuts. Instant snack or dessert for the guests or to finish off that candle light dinner 😉- you will make this again and again.
Pantry Staples
Pickling, drying, making preserves and jams or murabbo/chundo as we Gujaratis called it, are some traditional style of preserving seasonal produce that I have come across most commonly. Murabba is a sweet preserve made predominantly of seasonal unripe summer mangoes.