Entertaining

Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Blueberries

February 8, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

This Chicken Tagine with Potatoes and Chickpeas right here is the BEST Moroccan Chicken recipe you will find! Succulent , tender chicken stew w/ warm Moroccan spices, cilantro, lemon & dried blueberries. No ordinary chicken dinner, this easy one-pot wonder will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible.

There probably hundred chicken meals in the blog and it keeps on coming. This chicken tagine with vegetables and blueberries is a new favorite. Tagines are definitely flavor-dense but are not necessarily spicy or hot. The use of fruits such as apricots or dates and almonds are common, but blueberries are a unique touch that we love more than any dried fruit. Sometimes honey often adds a slight sweetness to an otherwise savory dish. The word “tagine” also refers to the traditional clay and ceramic pots in which the tagines are prepared. The tagines are perfect for people who like tender and juicy food since it seals in the moisture for even cooking. The best part is that the tagine can be used as the serving pot, so straight out of the stove to the dining table.…

Stuffed Meatballs in White Curry aka Christmas Kofta Curry

December 20, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Stuffed Meatballs in White Curry aka as Kofta Curry is full bodied and flavorful. Try beef, lamb, chicken or turkey meatballs smothered in this amazingly silky sauce.

As the story of 2021 comes to an end, I see the lessons it brought me.

Surrender: No matter what big plans I make for my life, the plans of the Universe will always trump my own and they will always be better for me.

Daily practice is critical: maintaining my practices in the good times allowed them to show up for me in the tough times. Short and simple habits have been lifesavers.

Resetting myself to neutral through breathwork, reframing the negative narratives by looking for the growth opportunity instead of being stuck in victimhood and blame….

Thandai Gulab jamun Mousse

October 29, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Thandai Gulab Jamun Mousse is a fusion dessert which has two delicious treats in one. Thandai a spiced drink made like a mousse stuffed with spongy soft gulab jamun.

Be the light. Find the light.

It’s that time of the year, the festival of lights, festival of together, festival of celebration of the lightness within us and around us. Diwali….

Meatball Soup with Vodka Sauce

October 27, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This creamy meatball soup recipe with vodka sauce is a low carb, hearty, and a warming dish that comes together in 30 minutes and one pot. This blog post is sponsored by BERTOLI .

Soup season is here and I am loving it. Bringing you the simples pleasures of Tuscany to your table through this soup. I am all for a thick creamy soup and this one is a winner. A warm and flavorful bowl on a chilly night is so comforting and satisfying. This short cut creamy meatball soup is one of my favorites, it’s chunky and delicious. The love for meatball is real at home and this dill meatball works great in this soup.

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Kollu Obbat Rasam/Saaru

October 27, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Kollu Obbat Rasam or Udupi Saaru is a traditional dish from Karnataka. The rasam is thicker, spicy with a touch of sweetness. If you love obbat rasam, you might enjoy this one.

Udupi food, the food of Karnataka boasts of many types of saaru or rasam. Saaru is thicker than traditional Chennai style rasam. It’s made with ground up masala and has a notes of sweetness to it.

We were regular visitors to Dharmastala, a temple in Karnataka. Whenever I think of that temple, I remember the food. What is very special about that temple is the free food for all that the temple provided. The most important to note was, it didn’t matter if you were poor or rich, everyone had to go to this one big hall, sit down on the floor, together and eat the meal in a banana leaf. That’s impressive, isn’t it?! To serves thousands of people free food(anna daana), and see no difference in any one, that’s how the world should be.

The food and that concept astounded and impressed me then and it does now….

Masala Puri Bangalore Style

October 20, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This Masala Puri is a Bangalore Style Chaat, a street food loved by all. This style of Masala Puri is watery, abundance of flavors, heat from the green chilies and so addictive.

One rainy evening, under a tiny umbrella, my cousin and I cozying up to each other walk carefully making sure not to step on a puddle of dirty water to a place we visit often. A walk through that lane often led to neighbors standing by the gate greeting us, you’d also stumble upon many stories and secrets. Bangalore screams of diverse residents, clusters of original inhabitants and a multi cultural feel and it has a colorful aura to it.

Both Viji and I could Hansel and Gretel through the suburb on a food trail. The smells that street food gives out is intoxicating in ways I can’t explain. We both make our way to the main street where there is a plethora of choices, each one screaming and calling at us. We both had big appetites for anything tasty and street food. We hop on to the first stall that serves up Masala Puri….

Blueberry Walnut Poppy Seed Cake

September 29, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This blueberry walnut poppy seed cake is laced with fresh blueberries, filled to the brim with nutty, crackly poppy seeds, and drizzled with a delicious caramel glaze. It’s the perfect “company cake.” This Blueberry Poppy Seed Cake is a must make.

If you’re looking for a fruity cake that’s perfect to take to parties or just a pick me up, this is for you, Blueberry Poppy Seed Cake or as I call it the Best Sour Cream Cake.

I make this cake to take to friend’s, for picnics, it travels well and the perfect snack time cake. We enjoy dense fruity poppy seed cake –from when I made this recipe decades ago-so I can definitely tell you that this is a recipe that stands the test of time….

Creamy Salmon Curry with Spinach

September 19, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This Silky Creamy Salmon Curry is an easy salmon recipe with a silky smooth tangy sauce. Quick to make and easy to impress. Serve it straight out of the pan.

During those early years of me learning to cook and trying to impress, there was a whole lot of research and experimenting. I’d combine or take inspiration from other cuisines into what I was most comfortable with, Indian food. Years of trying and testing, I’ve come up with few that we enjoy as a family that flows flawlessly. This is one of those recipes that is in my cookbook MASALA and Meatballs and is loved by many.

A small group of friends, a date night in, wanting to impress someone or you wan to treat yourself on a weeknight, this Indian style Salmon Curry is the answer. A luxurious dish with minimal effort. You have 15 minutes, one pan, you have this meal ready. This sauce has few ingredients, each one plays an important role….

Eggplant Seafood Shakshuka

June 24, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Easy Eggplant Seafood Shakshuka recipe is a Meditterranean treat. An array of spices, fried eggplant and the perfectly cooked calamari in tomatoes is a one-skillet dinner that comes together in 30 minutes!

Most of you know the traditional shakshuka, eggs poached in a tomato sauce or even eggplant shakshuka. It’s popular and we love it.

Seafood Shakshuka is something my family has enjoyed time and again in our travels. But, I had never ventured into the deep sea, since it was overwhelming. My hubby and little one are big fans of seafood and I’ve been trying to dip my foot in seafood other than white fish and salmon.

I made this calamari shakshuka a month ago and the boys enjoyed it. So, I had to share it with all of you.

Usually when I search up lobster or calamari, there are not many recipes that cater to our liking and this one definitely hits a spot. And it super SIMPLE. …

Banana Chips or Banana and Parsnip Fries

May 30, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

The best Banana Chips EVER! Make your favorite fries at home with raw banana and parsnips. These are easy to make ahead of time and store for your evening chai or coffee, have it as a side for rice or top on fish, put it on everything basically.

Summer vacations back home was simple, sweet, lots of food(home made), naps and family time. As a working mom, my mother would always take off three months when I started my summer break, until I got married. She was dedicated and never once made me feel lonely(especially since I was the only child) or bored.

While we could buy the snacks from shops, mom always made sure to make fresh murrukku, sweets and chips to snack on. I thoroughly enjoyed my summer breaks. So many good memories, thanks to MOM.

Now, I try to make summer breaks as much as fun for my boys as it was for me. I take a break from work, social media and spend as much time together as possible. One thing I do find myself doing a lot is, grilling and cooking. The boys are always hungry(more hungrier) when they have nothing much to do.

So, I try to make snacks as much as I can at home, and this is one of my favorite treats, Banana Chips, a take on tapioca chips. I make large jars of this and we basically as a family finish it in a week or so. We top it on everything. It’s spicy and crunchy, and OH SO GOOD.

Happy Summer Break, Happy Snacking!!…