15 Minute Recipes

Tiramisu French Toast

January 29, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This Tiramisu French toast is a twist to the classic treat. It’s so delicious and unbelievably easy. This Tiramisu French toast recipe is made with coffee, cocoa and liqueur soaked brioche, buttery and topped with creamy mascarpone , and cocoa powder dusted on top.

I’m a morning person. I drink my coffee, I love my sunrise runs, but, I don’t care for breakfast. And you are a morning person? you ask;-). Yup. I’m that annoying person who is stupidly cheerful first thing. I love the early morning light and the birds chirping and dewy grass and a cuppa coffee.

I wasn’t a no-breakfast person growing up. Mom had the most delicious south Indian breakfast ready for me by 8.00 a.m and I didn’t have to move a finger. It was downright comfort home cooking. Weekends were different though. Dad took out his apron and the only vintage beater we had. The one with two whips, a handle to turn the whip.. remember?…. Good quality bread was key. A classic french toast, one of my dad’s specialties. It was simple: eggs, milk, sugar and cardamom. “Whip till it froths, dip the bread for no more than ten seconds on each side”, he said. Ghee laden, crispy and the best french toast. I enjoyed it! Those mornings felt very hoity-toity, with forks and all, nothing like my usual….

Authentic Garam Masala

October 6, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

The most popular Indian spice blend is the garam masala. This fresh, fragrant, authentic and simple recipe is made from slow roasting the whole spices and grinding them.

Garam Masala is a common Indian spice blend, that’s perfumed and pungent, a combination of warming spices used to season many Indian dishes. Every household in India has a different recipe for this masala spice powder. It varies greatly across India, depending on the region, household and personal preference. And that’s why Garam Masalais so special and nuanced.

Garam masala is darker in color, spicy and not hot, and nothing in comparison to the other blends. A completely different flavor profile.https://youtu.be/v8uESTv1SMw

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Paneer Beans Stir Fry in Tamarind Chutney

August 3, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Chutney. Chop. Stir and serve. This paneer beans stir fry is a great, delicious meal with some rice on the side or some noodles. Simple and splendid.

Stir-fries are a girl’s best friend when looking for an easy meal that feels fancy and loved by all. Lunch time when the boys would go to school and work was a peaceful time, all by myself soaking in the moments. Plated well, simple it might be, but always fancy-ish and healthy. The lesson — that lunch can be and should be the welcomed break in our day to recoup and recharge — changes the entire game of the day.

This is hardly work: some stirring, pouring, and a bit of fry up, and then, here’s lunch. The trifling effort yields plush, sweet and spicy paneer that snuggles up with green slightly crisp beans. I love to have it as is, it is simple and absolutely delicious….

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

July 23, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Stir fries are fast, easy, and delicious. This Thai Basil Chicken will wow you! An incredibly flavorful recipe that truly tastes just like your favorite Thai restaurant take out, or even better. Serve over some rice and a quick impressive meal is ready in no time.

We’ve eaten our share of bad Thai and great Thai food too. One of our favorites, if not the best is Khin Khao, a Michelin star Thai restaurant in San Francisco. Their flavors are subtle and not a single ingredient is overpowering. I definitely love their approach to recipes, and I was definitely inspired when I made the sauce for this Spicy Thai Basil Chicken.

There is so much nuance to Thai food, it’s not just food that’s as hot as it can be. Anyway, the Thai food that we have here is not Thai enough. It is, in fact, in complete adherence to the spirit of approachable Thai food. No doubt, the food is called Thai cuisine, and is cooked widely, especially if you take the common majority’s favorite ‘yellow or green Thai curry.’ But, is that authentic? No, but it’s relatable and palatable for all….

Healthier Salmon Cakes (Salmon Patties)

July 16, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

These healthy Salmon Cakes are a crowd pleaser. A back pocket recipe that I’ve made so many times and is always a hit at home. Requires very few ingredients, healthy and comes together in 10 minutes plus the cooking time. I had to post the recipe when a friend of mine as me if I had a salmon cake recipe that is healthier, and here it is.

Cooking salmon was overwhelming at one point. If you’ve been intimidated by cooking fish in the past, I hear you! I spent years avoiding buying salmon because I thought it would be too complicated to make, or that worse yet, I’d mess it up and ruin a beautiful piece of fish….

Chettinad Prawn Masala

March 2, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Chettinad Prawn Masala has few spices, and big bold flavors. This is a recipe from the Southern part of India. This dish comes together quite quickly and very flavorful.

South Indian Curries are always close to my heart though. South India offers a variety of quite spicy curries. The spices are pretty similar in a lot of the curries, just vary a slight bit. But, to my amazement a simple fennel can change the whole flavor of the curry or a few curry leaves. Most of the time a chicken, mutton or even a fish curry is a slow cooked one. This one comes from a place called Chettinad. The local cuisine is simply one of the the most spiciest I’ve ever tried, Chettinad Cuisine….

Asian Jalapeno Chicken and Beans

February 23, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

This perfection of a meal comes together 20 min from start to finish. Quick and Easy Asian Jalapeno Chicken and Beans is loaded with flavor and boosts of textures. Better than take-out and so much healthier!

If you are like me and looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners, and I mean, who isn’t? Stir fry dinners are the way to go. You get your protein, your veggies, your everrrything in one skillet and less than 2o minutes later, the family is at the table eating a healthy dinner.

I am a huge fan of one skillet dinners and make them at least a few times each week.

And this Asian jalapeno chicken isn’t even breaded nor fried, so this is really more of a “skinny” dish, all smothered in a simple sauce, a sauce that you’ll clearly want to pour or dip in many things….

Indian Veggie Quesadillas

January 20, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

This easy Indian Veggie Quesadillas recipe is delicious and easy to make. The green chutney potatoes make for a great stuffing. SO delicious! This recipe is 100% customizable with whatever veggies you happen to have on hand. It’s also on the healthier side, quick and easy to make, and SO delicious!

One of the most requested recipes is: easy-healthy meal ideas, bachelor meals, college meals or school lunch ideas, and this is one that ticks all the boxes. Veggie quesadillas!

You can make these Indian veggie quesadillas with any leftover vegetables. They are the perfect way to empty out your crisper drawer of any leftover veggies, just make sure to use sturdy starchy veggies. Plus these veggie quesadillas are easy to make, super-delicious and healthy to boot.! All you need are some potatoes or any veggie, (I highly recommend adding a sweet potato to the mix, for extra heartiness and flavor), tortillas and cheese (whichever kinds you prefer), chutney and finally, your favorite salsa (and/or guac) for serving or a sweety chutney. Simply cook the potatoes with the chutney, assemble the quesadilla, and give them a quick sauté on the stove. Then the yummiest Mexi-Indian dinner will be yours to enjoy in no time….

Honey Walnut Cauliflower

January 4, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Honey Walnut Cauliflower will change the way you look at cauliflower. Vegetarian version, crispy baked cauliflower tossed in a creamy, sweet sauce topped with caramelized walnuts! Tastes just like take-out, but BETTER.

We love Chinese food. I could eat it on any given night, and whenever we order take-out, the honey walnut shrimp always makes it home. It’s my little ones favorite.

While I do make shrimp for the boy at home, I prefer the vegetarian version and healthier version more. Eat it without feeling guilty and for those days you crave vegetarian or if you are a vegetarian, this is perfect.

Now this dish involves baking the cauliflower to crispy perfection tossed in a creamy, sweet sauce along with some candy-glazed walnuts….

Dill Edamame Fried Rice

August 25, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

This South Indian style Dill Edamame fried rice recipe is the absolute BEST. It’s quick and easy to make, customizable with any of your favorite mix-ins, and so irresistibly delicious.

Me and rice go way back.

I’m digging back into my mom’s classic recipe today to share one of my all-time favorite recipes with you again. And I really do mean all-time.

Because fried rice and I go wayyyy back. 😍

Like specifically, back to my picky-eating days that lasted — oh — until college, when I was totally “that girl” who refused to even look at anything which was not a little fancy. Guys, I was crazy about the different kind of fried rice. Mom would make a variety of rice for lunch with some fryums and I would gobble it up without complaining. I mean, back then, I just assumed that all fried rice was perfectly stir-fried and full of big flavors and irresistibly delicious! Little did I know about the painfully bland, boring, and tasteless stuff that I would encounter at places, once I ventured out of the nest. This dill fried rice is bomb, go try it out….