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 …

Carrot Salad

When you are looking for easy salad recipes, make sure to keep this carrot salad in your repertoire. This can be made two ways, even three! And can be made ahead. Of the Indian carrot recipes, this is one of my favorites to put together when carrots are aplenty. And I like using the rainbow carrots for this recipe. Each color of these rainbow carrots has a distinct taste and texture, which as you know is a great thing to have in a salad. A few interesting facts about this salad – It uses a chutney as a dressing. I …

Indian Grilled Corn on the Cob – Street Style Bhutta

How do I even describe The Indian Grilled corn on the cob? Some flavors and food experiences are hard to express. This, is one of them. Freshly harvested corn, still carrying with it the fragrance of the earth it was grown in, is shucked and put on scorching naked hot charcoal. A touch of lemon, a hint of salt and generous amount of chilli powder goes on top of the hot smoky corn on the cob.  Smoky, salty, hot and spicy – the aroma pulls you in. And you surrender. In India, mostly cream yellow or orange flint varieties of …

Lemon Rice – South Indian Rice With Lemon and Peanuts

Lemon Rice - South Indian Rice With Lemon and Peanuts

Lemon Rice – South Indian Rice with Lemon and Peanuts, is sort of self-explanatory. However, I am dying to tell you all about it anyway. You see, for all the years I have been blogging, I always shared and posted more technical recipes. Things I wanted to try or things I thought people would love to learn. While I shared a croissant recipe because I was so thrilled that I could make those as a home baker, I also shared the Kashmiri dum aalu which is highly technique based for everyone else but a Kashmiri who is used to the …

Monji Achar – Kohlrabi Pickles in Mustard Oil

While most of the world was making something sweet for the Mother’s day and indulging in creamy decadent desserts, the scene at our home was the opposite. It was a day of savory indulgences and a day of “Home Spa”. My daughter’s idea of making me have a great mother’s day was to have her Dad cook up a storm of savory things while she presented me with the make up supplies and a “gift certificate” to redeem. The gift Certificate read, – “Personalized make up services by Shloka”. I am NOT a make up person. I just don’t have …

Walnut Chutney

Walnut is a significant part of Kashmiri culture. It is said that that the four kernels of the walnut represent – Dharma ( guiding principles by which we live life ) Artha ( Meaning of life ) Kama ( desires) and Moksha ( Nirvana). It is also believed to be symbolic of the four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Atharva and Sama. The whole walnut with the shell on is an essential element in all Kashmiri rituals and important religious festivals. The Festival of Herath ( Shivratri) – The celebration of the union of Shiva and Shakti – being the most …