Fire Roasted Tomato Chokha

The Fire Roasted Tomato Chokha is a dish from the eastern state of Bihar (India) and is traditionally cooked on coals. There is something very comfortable and ancient about cooking on fire or the grill. The aromas wafting from the food touch evokes emotion and the flame kissed food tastes like something we have always known. While I love grilled lamb chops and tandoori chicken, I mostly gravitate towards cooking more vegetables on the grill. Fresh summer vegetables when grilled are really delicious in salads, salsas and chutneys. The Fire roasted tomato chokha or the ‘tamatar ka chokha’ as it …

Patacones – Colombian Plantain Chips

Patacones

Patacones, simply put, are twice fried green plantains. Discs of plantain are fried , then flattened and fried again to a crisp texture. Whether you call them tostones, platano frito , or divine crispy goodness – they are super fun to make and eat. They are also easy, almost very easy to make. If you like deep frying, you will love this recipe. Pro tip :- Make different kinds of toppings and serve the patacones as a party appetizer to feed a large crowd. Since these can be served hot or at room temperature, they are perfect as a side …

Sweet Potato Chaat

Pan fried sweet patatoes served with yogurt, mint chutney and tamarind chutney in a bowl

When you need a great make ahead appetizer dish, this sweet potato chaat Indian style never fails to impress. As long as you have the mint chutney and tamarind date chutney , you can make this sweet potato recipe in moments, especially if you use a pressure cooker to cook the sweet potatoes. What is chaat and why are Indians so obsessed with it. Chaat is a savory snack. uh! That was sort of lame! Here I am going on about how Indians are obsessed with chaat and then say it is a savory snack! Let me try that again! …

Yukka Empanadas With Jalapeño Cilantro Salsa

Paleo Yukka Empanadas

Empanadas – there are just so many kinds that it will take a long time to work your way through the infinite styles and various combinations of doughs and fillings. Some have a yeasted dough, some are flaky pastry style, some made with corn and some with yukka or plantains. Some have a meaty filling, some are vegetarian and some sweet . No matter the style of starchy crispy exterior  and the choice of filling inside, empanadas are a perfect two bite size food. Ok may be four bites if you are a lady and eat like one too. I …

Punjabi Samosa

Punjabi Samosa

Punjabi Samosa, the potato and peas filled savory pastry that is deep fried to a golden crisp and is served with lip-smacking chutneys. Just the mention of the word Punjabi samosa invokes memories of a gatherings with friends after college, huddled next to a large kadai filled with samosas being fried up. It was a ritual, to grab some chai and samosa – much like kids these get their Starbucks or a frozen yogurt. Although the samosa did not originate in India, we sure have put our twists on it to make it very Indian. There is an entire family …

Tequila Lime Chicken Wings

Tequila lime chicken wings

Before I get on with the Tequila lime chicken wings, allow me to start this post with a fun memory of my Dad. When we moved to the US, a little under a decade ago, my daughter missed family back home. So she would call up her grandparents – my parents, and talk to them. They talked for hours and she would give them glimpses of life she was adjusting to. One day I get a frantic call from my Dad after my daughter hung up the phone. He wanted to know “what does buffalo wings mean”!! He really did …