Roasted Eggplant Dip – Baigan Bharta

Smoky, smoldering and clandestine. That has been my affair with the guy named clove, ever since we got together for the Alu matar Smokin’.  We have been meeting off and on, more on than off for he is just too irresistible.  What’s not to like in a guy who makes me look like I am the greatest cook?  He makes me look good, oh yes he does!  But since it is a brand new year and I really don’t want to keep him a secret anymore, I am declaring it out loud.  This is going to be the year of clove in …

Mushroom Stir fry with green onions and cumin

  Mushrooms!! The hobbits were fond of them. The very sweet shy people of the shire. They loved their beer, their pipe and their food, especially mushrooms.  Every time I read the Lord of the Rings or watch the movies, I find myself cooking mushrooms in different ways. Until I finish watching the movies or reading the books, my kitchen witnesses a plethora of mushrooms. Yes, I did say every time. I read the book every couple of years  and watch the extended version of the movies at least once a year. It’s kind of like my forever story book and I …

Beetroot Parfait or raita if we may

  The Plot :  38 Power Foods Blog group Summary : 38 Power Foods blog group will focus on one ingredient each week taking inspiration from the book ; Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients from the editors of the whole living magazine. Each week we all will come up with recipes, stories, articles to encourage eating nourishing food. Co conspirators : ( it will be nourishing for your foodie health to visit these blogs and see what they have come up with) Jill at Saucy Cooks; Jeanette at jeanetteshealthyliving ; Martha at Simply Nourished Living ; Mireya at Myhealthyeatinghabits ; Alyce at More time at the table ; …

The humble Dill Potato and a rambling mind

    Since June 9, 2012 Colorado has been witnessing wild fires. Hundreds of homes destroyed , healthy green forests under ash, thousands of people evacuated – Colorado is burning. The forecast for the week does not bring any relief. The temperatures are going to be soaring thus making the fire fighting much more harder than it already is. I know most of you have seen the photos on the Internet and watched it on TV. I know everyone who saw or heard about it has said a prayer and felt sorry for the people who are going through a …

Cilantro Mint Chutney

Ingredients for Green Chutney : Mint, cilantro, lemon, Salt, green chilies, ginger and oil

The good thing about a mint cilantro chutney is its simplicity. The next good thing is its versatility. But the best thing about this simple yet versatile chutney is the powerful punch it packs in the tiniest of servings. Don’t they say great food satisfies in small servings? With the fresh lingering scent of mint, aromatic Cilantro, tangy lemon, hot chillies and the zing from fresh ginger, this chutney is essential to a lot of street food deliciousnesses. Having a jar full of chutney is like having endless possibilities to cook. I can bake savory puff pastries or samosas and …

Aloo Chokha – The Indian mashed potatoes

Boiled and mashed potatoes get a flavor of mustard oil, dry and green chillies, lightly fried onions and some cumin. Eaten with khichdi  in the state of Bihar, it’s a quick and comforting dish. Every Bihari family has their own variation of chokha  , sometimes more than one as well – for its an often made dish.  Featured here is a chokha made with potatoes. The other two traditional kinds of choka  are  tomato and eggplant and are served and made differently. That’s a story for another day. This dish can be served as a side with plain Dal and …