THE KITCHEN AFFAIRE

When the first ever comment hit my blog, I was so excited and happy. I still remember running over to my hubby, showing and telling him "Cccccc I got a comment too!!" hi hi.. Seriously, it felt so nice. And that sweet comment came from none other than Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes . Since that day, Priya has been a regular visitor to this little space of mine. When I thought of inviting a guest to my blog, I did not have to think twice- It had to be Priya :) And here she goes ----> When Gopika requested me to be her guest blogger, I was elated, excited and felt honored and of course felt those butterflies which usually you feel when trying to do something important. First of all, my hearty congratulations to her on turning one. I enjoy her blog thoroughly, includes everything about it. Her writing style and narration of posts or recipes are superb. I like how she neatly organizes her recipes. And looking at her pictures make me want more and sh

I just love all kinds of fried snacks. :-) Well, I love everything about food. So here I was blog hopping and I came across this lovely blog of Arundhuti called My Saffron Kitchen . And I found what I was looking for, the ultimate recipe for Dahi Vada. Thanks a ton dear :-D Dahi Vada is one of the most popular varieties of Indian Chaat. A yummy snack that everybody loves to relish, especially during a hot summer day. Dahi Vada is made in different ways across different parts of India. South Indians make it without adding Tamarind Sauce and call it "Thairu Vada". I love both the styles. :) Whats not to love? Yesterday, heat was at a record high of 101 F!!! Can you imagine that? I shouldn't be complaining a lot as I have lived in cities (in India) where it was more hot and humid. Those were my high school days. A time when heat or no heat, life was all about fun, friends and food :D  Dahi Vada is a combination of lentil dumpling and yogurt to

Gosh.. I would have told this like 100s of times - "I love paneer" :D  So as always I am on the look out for new varieties of paneer recipes. Lucky me. Aipi of USMasala also loves paneer. And she has a bunch of paneer varieties. :D This one had caught my eye some time back but I got a chance to try it out just today. Well, better late than never. Right? :D While cooking, I made a few minor changes (according to our taste) from the original recipe. For instance, I did not add "bell pepper", which is one main ingredient in jalfrezi, as "A" does not like em. :) Still, it tasted just awesome. "Mere haathon ka jade" ;) Just kidding!!  Ingredients Paneer - 2 C Cumin seeds - 1/2 t Carom seeds - 1/2 t Whole red chilli - 1 Onion, chopped - 2 Tomato, chopped - 1 Ginger - garlic paste - 1 1/2 T Tomato ketchup - 2 T Bell pepper, sliced - 1  Whole coriander seeds, roasted and ground - 1 T Garam masala - 1/2 t Red chilli powder - 1

Shahi Paneer is a very popular dish in India. Shahi means "Royal". Shahi Paneer is a part of the " Mughlai " cuisine. "Mughlai" cuisine was developed in the kitchens of the Mughal Empire . This cuisine is always famous for its distinct aroma consisting of whole spices. Gosh, I am feeling hungry! :D Paneer is one of my all-time favorites. :) I just love Paneer. :D And so I am always in search of new paneer recipes. And here is another one from the lovely Aipi of US Masala . :D Thanks to her awesome recipes. I keep going back to check out all of them. I am always sure to find something new :) Here is the recipe friends. Do try it out and let me know how you like it.. :D Ingredients Paneer, cubed – 1 C Onions, chopped – 2 Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp Garam Masala – 1/4 t Ginger -1 " pc Garlic - 3 Green chilli - 2 Asafetida/hing - a pinch Almonds - 1/4 C Cashew - 1/2 C Milk- 1 C Water - 1 C Sugar – 1/2 t Salt – to taste C

I love gobi/cauliflower a lot. The food court at my office (@ India) served yummy  gobi manchurian. I used to order that most of the time. My friends made fun of me for this. hehe :D I love my friends. And I miss em all! All of us are spread around the world now. :( But we are in touch. That is the best part. :) Friends are huge assets. Na? Yaa.. This is one very simple gobi masala. Simple because you can make this with the ingredients that you will easily find on your kitchen counter :D Easy and quick! A huge love hug to my Mum for this recipe. This is one of her best quick and easy dry subzi recipes. :D Ingredients Cauliflower florets - 2 C Mustard seeds - 1/2 t Cumin seeds - 1/2 t Fennel seeds - 1/2 t Kalonji seeds - 1/2 t Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 t Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch Ginger - 1 t Garlic - 1 t Turmeric powder - 1/2 t Chilli powder - 1/2 t Lemon juice - 1 T Water - 3 T Salt - 1 t Oil - 1 T Method Heat a pan with oil. Once hot, add a

As always I was blog hopping to find something new for dinner tonight. And Voila! I got it. It was the name of the dish that struck me. "Amti". Never heard of it before. So I got more interested and see what I found out. "Amti" is a Maharashtrian dish. And Maharashtra is a state in India. Every state in India has a huge number of specific specialities. So here is one such speciality from the land of Marathas :) Amti is a mix of spicy, sweetish and tangy taste. I just have one word to describe "Amti" - Yummmmmm :) Special thanks to Jaysri for this recipe. And to Nupur too, from whom Jaysri got this :) Ingredients Toor dal - 1 C Onion - 1⁄2 C Amti masala - 1 t Turmeric powder - 1/2 t Red chilli powder - 1/2 t Tamarind paste - 1 t Jaggery - 1/2 t Curry leaves -  few Cilantro - 1 T Oil - 1 T For Tempering Mustard Seeds - 1 t Cumin Seeds - 1 t Asafoetida - a pinch Method Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add it

Now that I have my home made pav bhaji masala ( Ain't I cheeky about my home made things! :D ), I thought it was time to try out Tawa Pulao (Rice dish). Thanks to the huge blogosphere, I got to see a lot of our blogger friends put up posts on Tawa Pulao. And last day, as I was blog hopping I came across Aipi's USMasala , undoubtedly a beautiful one, where I saw the recipe for Tawa Paneer.  So I thought I'll try my hands on her yummy Tawa Paneer recipe and not Pulao. :D And oh my gosh! Guys, it came out just fantabulous. Mr.A loved it too :) Then what more do I need to know, right? Aipi  --> Thanks a ton. :)  I followed your exact recipe. Only difference should be the pav bhaji masala. Ingredients Cumin seeds - 1 t Asafoetida - a pinch Paneer - 2 C Tomato, crushed - 3/4 C Onion, chopped - 1 1/2 Turmeric powder - 1/2 t Pav bhaji masala - 2 t Red chilli powder - 1 t Ginger garlic paste - 1 t Garam masala - 1/4 t Amchur powder or lime juice - 1

Punjab Cuisine reminds me of two main dishes - Sarson Da Saag aur Makki Di Roti & Chole. Both are my favorites!! :) Healthy too. There was a time when I hated greens or leaves. Lately, I am in love with them. And "Sarson Da Saag" tops my chart of favorite greens! "Sarson" means Mustard Greens and "Saag" means curry or gravy.  "Sarson Da Saag" is a very popular curry in Punjab (India) and is traditionally served with "Makki Di Roti", which is Indian bread made of corn flour. I found Mustard Greens @ a Vietnamese place here. It was named "Gai Choy" there. Nevertheless, it was the same. Do try this healthy and yummy curry friends. :) Ingredients Mustard Leaves – 2 bunches Spinach – 1 bunch Water – 2 C Oil – 1 T Onions, chopped – 1 1/2 Tomatoe, chopped – 2 Ginger, minced – 1 T Garlic, minced– 1 T Salt – to taste Red Chili Powder – to taste Garam Masala – 1 tsp Seasoning or "Tadka" O

I preferred making homemade Pav Bhaji Masala rather than using the store bought powder. And I can gurantee, this PBM powder is just awesome :) Seriously!! Try it out naah. :) Ingredients 1T or 2 T of all these: Cumin seeds Methi seeds Fennel seeds Coriander seeds Pepper Ajwain Chilli flakes Cloves - 4 Amchur powder Dry garlic Cinnamon - 1" pc Cardamon - 2 Method Roast the above spices in a pan for 10 mins. You will know when they are ready as a mouthwatering aroma spreads around the kitchen. :) Simply grind this in a mixer/blender. And there you go!! Fresh homemade PBM powder. Oyee!!! Chakh de phatte!!!! ;)

Pav bhaji or Pao bhaji is one of the most popular fast food items that you can find in most cities.Pav bhaji consists of a potato based curry and "pav" which is bread. Its history takes us to Mumbai.Yes, we should thank Mumbaikars on bringing out this relishing dish to us. Though Pav bhaji was introduced to the world by Mumbaikars and to me by my mom ;) Not exactly. The first timeI had Pav bhaji was on a trip to Delhi. But that was quite some while back. Don't remember much!! So I can remember onlyMoms homemade pav bhaji. Moms Pav bhaji was not the Mumbaiah one but it was yummy too.Well, I wanted to always try homemade authentic Pav Bhaji. Now that I rule this kitchen, I gave it a try.Who else could I go to for such authentic recipe other than Tarla Dalal.I was an ardent fan of her cookery show on Star Plus and still follow her website, www.tarladalal.com. Voilaaa!! The Pav Bhaji came out great. Not simply great it was fantabulous. Really guys. I loved itand so did

There was a time when I just dint like the look of Rajma forget eating. hi hi :D But Mummy was pretty insistent on us eating all kinds of veg stuff, no matter what we said.  She would continue making everything, we like it or not. :D One cool trick to make kids eat. Well of course, I am glad Mom did coz now I just loveee Rajma. :D he he.. And here is her yummy recipe. Thank you Mommy. Ingredients Kidney beans/Rajma - 2 C Cumin seeds - 1 t Onion - 1 1/2 Tomato - 1 Garlic - 2 Cloves Ginger - 1 T Garam masala - 1/2 t Turmeric powder - 1/2 t Red chilli powder - 1/2 t Coriander powder - 1/2 t Chopped coriander - few Salt as per taste Method Cook kidney beans/Rajma with 1 t salt in a pressure cooker until soft (upto 3/4 whistles). Heat oil in a pan and fry onions in them till translucent. Keep it aside and allow to cool and grind them to fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle. Add the ground paste, chilli, garli

The first time I tried Palak Paneer was right after marriage. It wanted to try my hands on a lot of dishes, this being one among them. :) Spinach, like any other leaf, is very good for health. It is best when had without frying. And this is one "subzi" (curry) which can be cooked without frying spinach. Of course, there are others too. :) Paneer adds to the flavor. Friends, try this out. You may not love it like others but you cant hate it. And hey, its healthy!!! :D Ingredients Spinach - a bunch Paneer - 1 C Tomato - 1 Green chilli - 4 Onion - 1/2 Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 t Cilantro - 1/2 t Coriander powder - 1/2 t Cumin powder - 1/2 t Cashews - 1/2 C Salt to taste Method Wash spinach and cut them into several pieces. Boil a pan of water. As the water starts boiling, add the cut spinach and green chilies into it. Mix until the leaves are wilted and turn off heat. Allow the leaves to cool for a few mins. Add the leaves and salt to t

Another of my favorite punjabi dish (curry). Chole Batura was a "sure to order" item for all of my restaurant visits in India. And of course, Mummy made really yummy Chole Batura once in a while too, mostly when we had guests coming over. In fact, I was so in love with Chole that I used to have it along with the Kerala special "Puttu". :D Another time when I had yummy unforgettable Chole experience was at one of my closest friend, Nidhi's (Punjabi) place. It had that special Punjabi touch to it. :) Ingredients Kabuli Channa/Garbanzo Beans – 2 C Water – 8 cups Black Cardamom – 1 Bay Leaf – 1 Cinnamon Stick – 1″ Pc Salt – to taste Oil – 1.5 T Asafoetida – a pinch Tomatoes(Chopped) – 2 Anardana – 1/2 t Red Chili Powder – 1/2 t Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) – 1/2 t Method Soak Channa overnight. Move Channas along with the soaked water into the pressure cooker. To this, add cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom & Salt. Cook this mix in

Every evening I sit & wonder, "what do I make today?". Soon, I reach for the laptop and start browsing for something "new"! :) Thats how I got this yummy & easy Sindhi snack from Alka's Sindhi Rasoi. Thank you Alka. :) I learnt that Took Patata (Double fried potato) is generally served with Kadhi Chawal but is also enjoyed as an evening snack. So, here I am starting off with the recipe. :) Ingredients Potatoes: 3 Salt Turmeric powder: 1/4 t Coriander powder: 1/2 t Red chilly powder: 1/4 t Amchoor powder(Dry mango powder): 1/4 t Oil for frying Method Peel the potatoes and slice them into four. Slit them(not too deep) in criss- cross pattern. Sprinkle salt over the slit potatoes and keep aside for 2 mins. Wash them with some water and pat dry. Heat oil  in a pan and gently slide the potatoes into the oil. Fry on high flame for a min. Lower heat, cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking the potatoes till well cooked.

Ingredients Wheat - 3 C Salt - To taste Water- 1 C (Using yoghurt or milk will give you softer chappathis) Method Add salt to wheat. Pour water little by little into the mix. Use water only as needed (Do not let the dough become watery) Knead till it turns into a soft dough. Divide the dough into golf sized balls. Roll the ball between your palms till they are smooth and without cracks. Powder the ball with little wheat. Roll the chappathi till it is very thin. Heat a pan on a medium flame and put the chappathi on the pan. Once you start seeing bumps raised on the chappathi turn it using a spatula. Continue the same process for the other side too. The chappathi is ready once you see light brown bumps on its surface. Serve with a yummy curry.

The worst part of going on a diet is to avoid Potatoes! Potatoes = Carbs!!! Imagine the odds when it is one of your favorites!! I forget all about Carbs and weight when I dig into this simple and yummy sabji or the dry fry potato. You can try this on one of those days when you are not in a great mood for elaborate cooking and want to wind up quick. I bet, you will love it. Ingredients 3 medium Potatoes 2 T Oil, 2 pinch Mustard seeds 1/4 t Cumin Seeds 1/8 t Asafoetida 1/4 t Turmeric Powder, 1/2 t Urad Dal (optional) 1/2 t Ginger paste 4 green chilies or to taste, slit lengthwise 4-5 curry leaves 1/4 C Cilantro, finely chopped Salt to taste 1 t lemon juice (optional) 2 T Cilantro for garnishing Method Boil and peel potatoes, make small cubes (2 cm). Heat oil in a nonstick pan or Kadai. Add mustard seeds, allow to crackle. Add Cumin, Asafoetida, Turmeric powder, and Urad dal. Once urad dal becomes little golden in color, add ginger paste, green chil

"Gobi" is one word (among a hundred others) my friends use to make fun of me as it is similar to my first name "Gopika"! :D Well, I loveeee Gobi. The best among it being Gobi Manchurian. This is a Punjabi style Gobi with a little gravy. Tastes awesome with all Indian breads. Cauliflower is a very nutritious vegetable which contains Vitamin C and folate. Here is an easy way to eat healthy and tasty.  :) Ingredients Cauliflower florets - 2 C Oil - 2 T Kasoori Methi - 1 T Poppy seeds, grind with 1 T  water - 1 T Green chilies - 1-2 Turmeric powder- 1/2 t Chilli powder - 1 t Coriander powder - 1 t Cumin powder - 1/2 t Ginger garlic paste - 3 T Onion, finely chopped - 1 Tomato, finely chopped - 1 Yogurt - 3/4 C Milk/Cream - 1/2 C Salt - to taste Cilantro for Garnishing Method Wash Cauliflower florets with water. Boil water (enough to soak the florets) and soak the cauliflower in it till they cook 3/4. Heat oil in a non-