Indian

Beetroot-Peas Kurma – Vegetarian Weeknight Curry

August 31, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

This healthy, vegan vegetarian curry will make you want to have vegetarian meals more often. Beetroot peas kurma is a weeknight curry at home, it is easy to make and packed with flavor.

Growing up, I always saw Mom making this dish during weekdays. It was served with chapathis/tortillas all the time. The very interesting thing was, they tasted the same every time she made them. Now, it makes me wonder how she did it. No recipe, just add this and add that. Our lunches were full course meals, most of the time. Weekday dinners were usually a simple roti with a vegetarian side.

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MIXTURE/CHIVDA- Savoury Spicy Indian Granola

August 23, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Mixture/Chivda. A perfect tea time treat: chivda, savory granola. It’s a sweet and spicy treat made with puffed wheat, flattened rice, cornflakes, nuts, and all sorts of goodness.

It’s no secret that I love celebrations. Celebrations of all kinds.

August arrives, bringing along a long festive season for Indians. We have something every month until January. This one might be the biggest of all, and a religious one. It’s Ganesha Festival/Ganesha Chathurthi. A festival to celebrate the Elephant God….

Spicy Chickpea rolls/Muthiya salad topped pear and goat cheese with pear dressing

August 16, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

This Indian inspired salad has spicy chickpea rolls/muthiya, soft sweet pears, the salty goat cheese, and fresh greens.

We are in mid August, and there’s autumnal winds blowing every now and then. While the kids are getting ready to head back to school in a few weeks, I busily plan on squeezing in a few more days of fun with the boys.

The past few months have just flown by and and I’ve wondered every now and then, how did it fly by so quickly?

Time flies….

Kheema Matar- Spicy Chicken Mince Pizza, no knead quick pizza

August 2, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Kheema matar or chicken mince is a popular Indian dish. Top it on pizza and it becomes a delicious treat. Spicy chicken mince pizza for the win!

THE INSIDES

“If you get the insides rights, the outsides fall into place.”

The older I get, the more comfortable I feel with myself. Whether it’s my introverted side, which I discovered recently, or just accepting the now, the present, not only of ourselves but of others, I’m learning and improving everyday.

It’s a very simple proposition—loving yourself. Loving oneself comes from self-acceptance, and the ability to unconditionally value all the parts of yourself. Easier said than done, one might say, but in reality, it’s a subconscious effort of taking steps….

Paneer-Bhaingan Bhurji /Eggplant Cheese spread Bruschetta

June 14, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

An easy appetizer to sip with some wine. Eggplant with Paneer scramble aka Paneer-bhaingan bhurji is so good topped on a lightly buttered and toasted french bread. The perfect summer pick me up. Thanks to Revol cookware for sponsoring this post.

Right now, I am over the moon thrilled and thankful to all of you for reading my previous post about my book announcement. It has been one of the most read posts in the last many months and that shows how supportive you are. Thank you!! I will fill in more details very soon. For now, sharing one of the dishes I enjoy making for company or just for the family with some rotis.

Indians have a love affair with paneer. Before we were introduced to mozzerella, parm or all the variety of cheese that’s available now, we knew only paneer in India. It’s often compared to ricotta or halloumi. We use it in curries, grill it and even deep fry it. I often find myself scooping just one more nibble of chewy, milky-tasting paneer from the dish long after I’m officially full. It’s that delicious….

Lentils Masala Mint Fritters/Masala Vada

April 25, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Masala Vada, or Masala mint fritters, are a famous snack in South India. It looks and tastes a little like falafel. It’s crunchy, and loaded with ginger, garlic, and onion. They are versatile and can be minced and stuffed into tacos, and also mixed in curries. Served with chutney at coffee time, it’s so good.

The sounds of running water and rushed preparations start in the wee hours of the morning. I lie in my bed for that wake up call. I don’t hear it, so my face digs itself more into my hard pillow. I hear a complain from dad, to my mum… “Why don’t you wake her up? It is a festival day.” Of course, mum ignoring his complaints.

My room was right next to the kitchen, the sounds of the pressure cooker, the occasional drop of a steel glass, all was quite clear. The 3rd whistle is just too much for anyone to handle, and now I’m begining to think that the whistle so early was just a tactic of mum’s without having to wake me up. I very clumsily walk to mum to see what’s going on, and she gives a smile and quietly but sternly asks me to shower and get ready for the pooja. I looked at mom with annoyed eyes, like “Who in their right mind rushes to do pooja?”…

Spicy Amaranth Chicken Curry/ Thotakura Chicken

March 27, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Amaranth Chicken Curry is popular throughout the state of Andra Pradesh. Their cuisine is known for their spicy food and hearty distinctive taste. Amaranth leaves come in shades of red, purple and simple green. They are easily available in Asian grocers and widely popular in Indian cooking. They are robust in flavor eaten raw, but when cooked they turn mellow and add an extra layer of flavor to any dish.

Midweek rush.

Have you packed your bags? Print everything you want for school now, nothing in the morning. I’ll wake you up at 6. am., if you want to finish your homework.

After making sure things are a bit organized, I send the little one off to bed, kissing him on his cheek and squeezing his chin. I come down to finish the chores, prep for tomorrow’s lunch, and stare at the dishes for a while before tackling them. Once I find myself standing in a clean kitchen, I am pleased with myself. I put on a kettle, pour some boiling water in my mug and sit down with my green tea on the sofa, taking a deep breath. My phone is in my hand.…

Akki Rotti/ Rice-Dill Rotti (gluten free)

March 21, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Thin, loaded with vegetables, and made with rice, Akki rotti /rice rotti is a very popular dish of Karnataka. It is vegan, gluten free and oh so good, that you will be making this on repeat.

The food of Karnataka is very diverse, which has a wide range of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free recipes. Food there is typically less oily, and usage of multigrains is very popular. While the strict vegetarian food of Udipi is just outstanding, the gourmet delicacies of Mangalore and their rich curries are a must try.

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Black Bean Dosa/Crepe – Easy and Instant

March 2, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Here is a quick and easy Dosa for the days you want to have something comforting and no time. Black Bean Dosa/Crepes are versatile, go with curries and chutneys. And they are packed with protein.

Last month. This and that…..

We are creeping into spring and it’s March already.

Are you feeling it in the air? We are; the little one has started to sneeze and I have some itchy eyes. Still, I can’t wait for some warmth and sunshine.

How are you doing? How has weather been in your part of the world?…

Healthy Creamy Kale-Lentil Daal

January 3, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Wishing you all a very wonderful 2017!!

I woke up on NYE, reflecting on how it was a wonderful 2016.

When I say wonderful, it was, with some complexity. It had its ups and downs. And when I say wonderful, I meant that I chose to focus on the wonderful things. I tried to focus on the positive things. I learnt how to heal myself and look at what I had in front of me. I learnt that there’s no right way of life, no right way of living, or a perfect life. Perfection is a perception. It’s what we make of it.…