Appetizer

Sweet and spicy Curried Mango chicken salad

July 10, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This is fun and tasty spin on chicken salad. This spicy curried mango chicken salad has diced grilled chicken, cashews and a creamy curry sauce. It’s addictive and makes for a nice wrap or like lettuce wraps. Perfect for Picnics or light lunch.

Summer comes and mangoes are everywhere. Although we don’t get that many varieties sweet ones,as we get in India, we are lucky to get some sweet ones here.

When mango arrives, everyone’s enjoying them to the core. Smoothies, Popsicles, kulfi, ice-cream, salads, sauces, you name it, people make it. I am not the biggest fan of mango as is, I know I know, weird, but true. In salad form, I could eat the whole bowl….

Spicy Yogurt Chicken with Cucumber Mint Chutney

June 28, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This Simple Grilled Spicy Yogurt Chicken Recipe has a few ingredients in the marinade that makes it juicy, flavorful and absolutely delicious. It’s the best grilled chicken I’ve made. You’ll make this recipe again and again!

And just like that summer is here. Summers in Cali can be really harsh, but the evenings are like a dream.

People who are not from here love to talk about Mark Twain’s quote that goes “the coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco.” As September and October roll around, while they get trapped in their homes due to polar vortexes and hurricanes we’re sitting in cotton shorts and T-shirts, hiking and going to the city in a thin sweater. And that right there, that pretty much sums up why Indian summers* in SF are better than all other summers….

Spicy Hasselback Potatoes and Egg Salad with Fennel and Chives Tadka (Tempering)

June 26, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

These Indian flavored Hasselback potatoes are roasted until crispy that’s drizzled with spices. A flavorful and wholesome side dish bursting with fresh herbs and seasonings. Make these Spicy Hasselback Potatoes Eggs for your next picnic or party. It’s a winner.

~The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s about what you’re made of, not circumstances.~

This tried and tested method for a good relationship I heard from my shrink years ago is a guaranteed way to keep arguments fair and civil.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about marriage, it is to not use the words “Never” and “Always”….

Spicy Crispy Baked Popcorn Chicken – Juiciest and Easy

May 24, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This healthier version of spicy, crispy, and baked Popcorn Chicken is scrumptious. It makes for the perfect kid-friendly snack, and big kids love it too. If you’re looking for flavorful, garlicky, tender, and juicy popcorn chicken, this is for you.

The first time I had fried chicken was after my marriage when I visited my in-laws for the first time. We were invited to a dinner. My mum in law’s sister was known for her CHICKEN PAKORAS. They would get to know very quickly, that the newlywed girl was not shy about showing her love for food. Among all the chaos and the hustle, the chattering, the food that was being passed around, I got very curious. Curious about the person who was behind the food. I slowly crept into the kitchen to see who was sending out that plate of crispy, spicy red chicken pakoras in particular. There she was. Aunty was standing right there with the corner of her saree tucked into her waist, very busily looking at three stoves. One had biryani going, one had some curry, and the other had a large kadahi with oil and the CHICKEN….

Medhu Vada with Dill / Ulundu Vadai / Urad Daal Vada

May 5, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

A delicious, crispy, and spicy vada with lots of dill, pepper, and onion. This Medhu Vada is an authentic South Indian treat.

The iconic breakfast that’s popular, not only among South Indians but around the world, is Idli-Vada-Sambhar. It’s a dish that makes an awaited appearance every weekend in many homes. Vada might not necessarily happen often, but it is arguably the most popular among the three. Vada is considered a snack in South Indian cuisine. And we cannot confuse it with its cousin, the pakora/bajji, or another street snack, the Vada Pav. Medhu vada is made during festivals, for parties or for an evening snack. There are quite a lot of varieties of vada. It’s mostly made out of legumes, in contrast to the often chickpea based pakoras and bajji. I also have a version of vada with mint and cashews that is crispier and heartier in texture….

Best Indian Style Chicken Nachos – how to construct the perfect Nachos

January 30, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

The BEST Indian style chicken nachos ever!!!! The thin crisp corn chips with the spicy chicken mince, its so so good. And it’s all in one single pan. MINIMAL CLEAN UP! YES!!!! Hit in all parties!!

I sit here, a fully shot and styled post staring at me and I am blank. I’ve made these Indian style nachos for years now, but how am I not finding the words to describe a dish that disappears in minutes of getting to the table.

It’s one of my best back-pocket meals, the chicken mince. One I can make on short notice, assuming that I can get my hands on the freshest mince from my butcher. It’s one of the things I get asked plenty of times:”can you share your Indian style nachos”. It’s one of those recipes that missed getting into my book MASALA AND MEATBALLS, it sure gave a tough fight with hush puppies:)….

Curry Chicken Salad Avocado Boats with Cilantro cream

January 22, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This madras curry chicken salad avocado boats are so healthy and equally delicious, perfect with the cilantro cream. Just the right balance for the non-carb days or any day.

Curry is not a thing in Indian cuisine. Every recipe calls for a mix of spices, each family has their blend. So there’s nothing like curry, every recipe has it’s own name. There are many reasons for the word curry, you can read it HERE. Now, just for the convenience, we call it chicken curry or Andhra curry or Egg curry.…

Stir fry Tofu with Pepper Wraps -15 minute recipe

January 4, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This easy stir fry tofu peppers is a healthy balanced meal. Eat it on some noodles, or wrap it in lettuce! A good gluten-free and healthy vegetarian meal.

Tofu Love

I remember the first time I tried tofu. It was in a soup, and it felt slimy… too soft and quite bland. I unfortunately couldn’t be trendy and like it. Then again, I’m a little picky with trying different foods, and it has to be really good for me to like it. However, I never waste; I will always eat it up. It took me the longest to fall in love with tofu. Only a few years ago, I figured out the secret to perfect tofu before stir-frying….

Perfect CHEESE BOARD – Roasted red bell pepper and Tomato Chutney

December 28, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

A party feels complete with a perfect cheese board. Make this roasted red bell pepper and tomato chutney, which is spicy and goes perfectly with an array of cheeses.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your Holidays. We had a relaxed and joyful one. I wanted to wrap 2018 on a fun note and was out of words to do it. I asked my teen to write a guest post and here goes… Hope you have a good laugh, I sure did….

Twice Baked Potato with Pepper Jack-Cauliflower-Peas Stuffing (Indian style)

November 14, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

A perfect snack, side or a light lunch. These twice baked potatoes are stuffed with a spicy cauliflower peas stir fry that’s mixed in with pepper jack and wild rice. It makes for an amazing Thanksgiving side, as well as a light, delicious lunch.

It’s okay to be an Idealist, I guess!!

Maybe you’ve been called a dreamer your whole life—by others and by yourself. Are you the person spending half your time envisioning what you’d love and want to do or be?

I see some of you nod in agreement. I also see my parents shake their head side to side and saying, “That’s not reality, step down my dear…”

Trying to bridge the two worlds, the practical and the reality, is a dreamer’s challenge….