Mango Lassi Recipe | How to Make Punjabi Mango Lassi

Learn how to make Mango Lassi ~ Thick, sweet and creamy mango and yogurt drink flavoured with aromatic cardamom, a refreshing Indian summer drink

It was hot summer day when the sun scorched every object that came in direct contact under his blazing rays. On that particular day the temperature shot up by another few degrees making already miserable hot day even more difficult to bear! People looked up at the sky eagerly looking for the sign of rain to bring the temperature down to bearable degrees, but all they could see by squinting eyes was the sun god shining bright with his full glory, blissfully unaware of the complaints that were thrown at him from one part of the world below him! Amidst all the complaining people, the girl wearing white salwar kameez breezed through the crowd. There was only one thing that was going in her teenage mind as she quickly walked through the street lined with shops and complaining people. She knew where she wanted to go, away from curious glances and gossiping tongues, to meet her beloved who was waiting for her with bated breath.

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Creamy Tofu and Pepper Curry Recipe | Vegan Tofu and Capsicum Curry

Learn how to make Creamy Tofu and Pepper Curry ~ Vegan curry of capsicums/bell peppers cooked in a mildly spiced creamy tofu and tomato gravy

"I do not claim that I can tell a story as it ought to be told. I only claim to know how a story ought to be told."
~ Mark Twain

I have a story to tell… This is a story of little boy and the moon. This is a story of their friendship that is growing stronger and deeper with every passing day. This is a story about smiling lips, twinkling eyes, dimpled cheeks, excited shrieks and infectious giggles. This is also a story of trembling lips, teary eyes, fiery tantrums, disappointed sighs and hopeful tomorrows. This is a story of little heartbreaks and break ups, and at the same time this is also a story of life long friend ships and make ups! Yes, I have a story to tell…a very special story to tell…

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Spring on Our Doorstep

“What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.”
― Kobayashi Issa

Spring is in full bloom and I had to share few snapshots of the season to celebrate the new beginning… Beautiful weather, vibrant colours and bees and people buzzing alike makes this season rather special…. So here are few photographs of the season from our doorsteps that brought so much joy to my heart!

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Aloo-Kala Chana Chaat Recipe | Warm Potato and Black Chickpeas Salad

Learn how to make Aloo-Kala Chana Chaat ~ Warm black chickpeas and potato salad with spiced tamarind dressing

It was a cold winter Sunday morning when a teenager was woken from her sleep with a gentle touch of her mother’s hand caressing her hair.

“Open your eyes love. It’s time you learn to make a decent cup of tea!’” said her mother.

“5 more minutes Amma”, the sleepy voice begged.

But her mother knew that these 5 minutes will drag on and it will be 15 minutes or 30 minutes or 1 hour before her daughter finally opened her eyes!

“Oh no! You don’t get 5 minutes!” mother said while literally dragging her first born into the kitchen to prepare 2 cups of Indian Masala tea.

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Potato and Peas Kurma Recipe | How to Make Vegetable Kurma

Learn how to make Potato and Peas Kurma ~ Potato and green peas cooked in creamy and mildly spiced coconut gravy

For the first 6 years of my life I never tasted north Indian food! My mom although is a wonderful cook, her knowledge was limited to south Indian cuisine at that time. One reason could be that we lived in a small town and grew up in a close knit community. Till I turned 6 years old, we lived in a joint family and the simplest food to cook was a south Indian food which she grew up eating and cooking for 30+ members of the family with steady flow of guests every single day. Our regional food of Udupi-Mangalore is something that everyone enjoyed in our family.

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Travel with me to The Lakes...

My initial plan was to post my Amma’s signature dish today, but my heart is not really into sharing fond memories of my childhood for some personal reasons. Instead I am sharing few photographs I clicked during our recent visit to one of the most beautiful and scenic holiday destination in the UK during first week of this month. I am hoping that revisiting this natural, untouched beauty of Mother Nature will bring much needed calmness and peace to my troubled heart and soul.

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Plum Chutney/Relish Recipe | How to Make Plum Chutney or Relish

Learn how to make Plum Chutney/Relish ~ Sweet, spicy and tart yellow plum chutney/relish made using jaggery, unrefined sugar

First time I tasted plums were when I did my under graduation course in Dharwad, a beautiful city in north Karnataka. I was instantly drawn to these ruby red plump fruits the moment I my eyes spotted them piled high in a wooden carts and bamboo baskets. The old lady selling this fruit offered me one as soon as she spotted me walking towards her cart and gave me bright smile with red Paan stained teeth. I looked at the round, plump fruit sitting on my palm and took out the clean tissue from my colourful cotton sling bag hanging loosely from my shoulder and cleaned the plum. The ruby red plum looked glossier with all that rubbing with tissue paper and I just couldn’t resist it anymore. My teeth sunk deep into the glossy red plum and bit into the tiny brownish seed in the centre. The sweet nectar with a hint of tartness from the juicy flesh along with the crunch from the firm peel with every bite made me fall in love with this divine fruit and from then onwards Plums became one of my most favourite fruits to snack on whenever my stomach refused eat the hostel food, especially in late monsoon months.

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