Mango Ice Cream

Over the years it seems like it isn’t a summer family get together unless I have made my family favorite Indian version of ice cream or kulfi. Whatever the occasion, kulfi is traditionally prepared without the custard-base and I love to prepare it particularly during the month of August that happens to be a very [...]

Nani’s Vegetarian Cooking

After nearly 20 years, I’ve finally released my book, Nani’s Vegetarian Cooking. The book was officially released in September and I wanted to take some time to quickly mention it here for my blog readers. If you enjoy the recipes on my blog, you’ll definitely enjoy the many recipes in my book. [...]

Kaju Burfi

Happy Deepavali (or Diwali for short)!
Kaju burfi is a festive sweet, traditionally prepared by using an array of dairy-products and nuts (almonds, cashews, coconuts, pistachios or a variety of grated vegetables), or flour, sugar and flavorings in my nani’s kitchen.
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar or to taste
1 1/2 cups cashew (kaju) flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon coarsely [...]

Kofta

Kofta is traditionally a Middle Eastern and South Asian round or oval shaped meatball, made primarily with minced or ground meat usually lamb or beef flavored with onion, herbs and seasonings. However, I have the memories of eating many vegetarian versions of koftas made with an assortment of grated or chopped vegetables (e.g. edible [...]

Sweet Potato Halwa

Halwa or halva is one of the simplest sweets, traditionally prepared by cooking grated vegetables (lauki or edible gourd, ash gourd and a variety of root vegetables) in generous amount of ghee with the combination of flour, sugar, milk, flavorings and nuts in the Indian kitchen.
1 sweet potato
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1/4 teaspoon green cardamom seeds, crushed
1/4 cup [...]

Chickpea Patties

This is a great–tasting quick-to-make method of making leftover cooked chickpeas. If you like, the patties may easily be prepared with a combination of cooked soybeans and cooked brown rice, along with herbs and seasonings of choice. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are available in three varieties – brown or kala chana, [...]

Chickpea Pakora

Chickpea pakora is traditionally a round or oval shape fritter resembling falafel, made primarily with pureed split hulled beans or dals with onion, herbs and seasonings in the Indian kitchen. Chickpeas are one of the most versatile legumes (or beans) and may be used in a myriad of ways ranging from appetizers, entrees, and even [...]

Dahi Vada

Prepared in advance, made from dhuli urad dal, there isn’t a time when this wouldn’t be welcome addition – at a lunch, served as a side dish at a sit-down dinner, or the traditional late-afternoon combo snack known as chaat in my nani’s kitchen.
1 cup dhuli urad dal, soaked
1 32-ounce plain yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon [...]

Cantaloupe Salad

Summer is a perfect time for easy, no cook desserts made with strained yogurt or by simply combining plain yogurt in a variety of ways in the Indian kitchen. I call this the Indian version of ambrosia. This is a multi-purpose basic strained yogurt or yogurt cheese often used to make a variety of [...]

Coconut Cookies (Nan Khatai)

Nan Khatai (the way I remember it) is a shortbread with a buttery, crumbly cookie texture and is subtly flavored with a combination of spices common in both savory and sweet Indian dishes. Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, ginger and fennel seeds are some of the must-have spices in my desserts, breads, and cookies. [...]