Indian

Paneer Tikka Masala – 30 minute Creamy Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka masala

December 13, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

Paneer Tikka Masala is one of India’s most popular paneer recipe. This recipe with Indian paneer or cottage cheese cubes in a creamy tomato sauce is one I love and order every time. Easy to make at home, and it tastes EXACTLY like restaurant style paneer tikka masala.

Late fall brings excitement over the return of soups, spicy meals, desserts, pies, and the opportunity to fill the kitchen with the heat and heady smells of herbs and spice. Winter follows with spectacular holiday celebrations, with friends talking around grand feasts.

This is one dish which is present always at winter parties and meat eaters adore it equally….

Curried Crisp Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Peanuts- South Indian Style

November 17, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

The Autumn of 1996, cold and lonely.

I could not step out without the loud chatters of my teeth and my numerous layers of clothing. I was cooped inside for those three months, and do remember, I live in beautiful California, where the temperatures are pretty perfect.

I remember the beautifully decked malls, and the grocery shops filled with ingredients I hadn’t seen or tried or heard of. A new world, new friends, a new life. I never really understood the sitcoms. I continually complained about Seinfeld being dry humor.

My best friend (my only friend then) and I enjoyed our funny moments together. Our apartment was ten minutes away from the grocery store, so we would walk to it. Those trips were always quite interesting. We would go with the intention of getting only one bag and come back walking with two in each hand, weighing a ton.…

Malpua (Sweet Pancake) Stuffed With Ricotta-Coconut Rum Cream

October 24, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

“Alcohol and desserts are pretty great on their own. When combined, the results are often epic”. – Ash

Diwali is right out the corner. Colors, lights, fireworks, clothes, family, friends, parties, dancing, and, of course, we can’t forget about the food. There is so much food and sweets. I love the spirit of this festival. It has the spirit of coming together, laughing over mugs of coffee and tea, snacking, and just relaxing. One of the specialties of Diwali is the snacks that are prepared days before the actual festival…

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BISI BELE BAATH(Spicy Vegetable Khichdi/Khichri)

October 11, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

Born and brought up in Bangalore gave me some insight into traditional food of Karnataka. Having a fabulous grandma-aunty who cooked like Julia Child was even better. She was a lady of precision. The smell that came from her kitchen literally pulled dad and I to the balcony. We stood there discussing what she was making. Everything smelled and tasted divine. Ofcourse, we wanted a bite or more of everything she made. We had to refrain ourselves from going and knocking her door to start a conversation just for some food. There were times she would pack some for us, and you have no clue how happy we were whenever that happened. I remember the moment, her grandson would come up to drop the plate and we would very politely take it and the moment the door was shut, hungry or not, gobble up the whole thing.

I remember I used to come home from school and pick up the keys from our tenant grandma-aunty. She was too sweet at times to call me in to feed me some Akki Rotti(rice roti), some Chitranna(rice) or Semiya Upma(which was the best I’ve ever tasted).

One day I remember, she was making a spice powder and the smell was crazy intoxicating. I asked her what it was for and she said it was for BISI BELE BAATH. She told me she’ll share it with me when she cooks it. Yes, I waited a whole 2 and a half days for that. I still remember the moment she gave me a bowl with a generous dose of ghee and chips for the crunch. I remember I wanted to fall at a her feet or hug her. I was just a high schooler at that time. I was blown away at how good it was. I was warm and happy from within. It was that good, I remember that moment all too well.

I got my burgundy diary out and immediately had to write down the recipe. She was so precise, so dedicated and so literal in the details. I was/am always amazed at how perfect this turns every time I make it.

To my grandma aunty, wherever she is. Thanks for this treasure of a recipe.

Hope you get to try it out. It’s vegan, one of the most traditional ancient dishes, gluten free and super healthy. Perfect for this cooler weather or anytime.

Have a lovely day my dear friends.

Follow me on Snap(Ashfoodfashion) and Instagram for daily food stories.

5.0 from 1 reviews

BISI BELE BAATH(Spicy Vegetable Khichdi)

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

A traditional vegan, gluten free healthy mix sure to comfort the tummy any time of the year.

Author: Ash

Recipe type: Rice, Entree

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup medium grain rice(sona masoori)
½ cup toor/tuvar daal
lemon sized tamarind soaked in ½ cup of water and juice taken out and drained
VEGETABLES (beans, carrots, cauliflower, peas, moringa)

For the masala paste

1 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp channa daal
2½ tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp urad daal
8-10 red chilies(according to your spice level)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (meethi seeds)
3 pinches asafoetida/hing
⅓ tsp turmeric powder
½ fresh grated coconut or frozen (fresh is best)
Salt

For tempering

OIl
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch of asafoetida/hing
10-12 cashew (broken)
10-15 curry leaves

Instructions

Wash the rice and daal/lentil well and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles or in a pan with 4 cups of water until it is completely cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Cook the vegetable in 2 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder until it is 90 percent cooked. Turn off and set aside.

For the Masala Paste:

In a small frying pan on medium heat, add the channa daal, coriander seeds, urad daal and fenugreek seeds and fry until it is slightly browned and toasted. Add the whole red chilies, asafoetida, turmeric powder and saute for a minute and turn off the heat. Grind this a blender with coconut, ½ cup of water to a smooth paste and set aside.

Putting it together.

Now, mix the rice with the vegetable, add the ground masala paste, the thick tamarind juice and check for salt. Mix, Simmer and cook the rice mixture for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. The mixture should be little runny and not very thick at all. This will solidify as it sits.

Tempering

In a small pan on medium heat, add some oil. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida cashews and curry leaves. Let it splutter and add it to the rice mixture. Mix well.

SERVE Hot with some potato chips, papad and generous drizzle of ghee.

Enjoy

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Baked Okra stuffed with Spiced Peanut Mix (Easiest Recipe)

September 20, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

Indian food is quite simple, and this is a recipe which shows just that.

The vibrant, intensely colorful Indian food has found its way into many hearts. However, I do hear very commonly that “the spices are overwhelming.” I completely agree, especially for someone who is completely new to the array of spices Indian food has to offer, although it is not really too hard. In fact, I do tell many that you can always create an Indian flavored dish with ingredients you already have at home. It’s that simple.

I don’t exactly remember the first time I had it, but I do remember who taught me to make it. After that, I’ve never stopped. The best thing about this recipe is that you can use the spice mix for many vegetables: stuffed potato, stuffed cauliflower, stuffed bitter gourd, or you could even toss the spice mix in a beans curry! It’s all so good. This is a basic recipe, and a very popular one.

I definitely try to hold on to every part of Indian culinary culture I’ve learnt, and try to simplify it so that it’s attainable. I definitely think you’ll agree that this is one of the simpler recipes that’s still so authentic. I really hope you get to try it out.

Baked Okra stuffed with Spiced Peanut Mix

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Ash

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Okra - 1 pound

Spice Stuffing mix

3 tbsp peanuts roasted and coarsely powdered
⅓ cup chickpea flour
⅓ tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame seeds
⅓ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp sugar(optional)
2 tbsp canola oil
Bake at 400 degree for 20 minutes

Instructions

Prep the okra by wiping it with a damp cloth and trim off the ends and the top and set aside.
Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing mix and set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Slit the okra/bhindi in the middle but not fully, it still needs to hold it's shape. Stuff 1 tsp of the mixture in the middle and line all in a baking tray.
Lower the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees.
Drizzle oil evenly over the okra and bake them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the okra is completely cooked.
Serve it with rotis or soak them in yogurt and serve it with some rice.

Notes

This spice mix c an be stored in a bottle in the refrigerator for upto 2-3 months.

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Baked Okra stuffed with Spiced Peanut Mix(easiest recipe) |foodfashionparty|

No-churn Pistachio-Coconut Cardamom Ice Cream with Chocolate

July 13, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

This deliciously easy ice cream is full of flavor and has coconut and pistachios that make it nutty and crunchy. Make this no churn pistachio icecream and you’ll love.

It’s summer here, and it’s monsoon season in India where I am right now. Monsoon in Bangalore is beautiful. The weather is quite perfect, not too cold or chilly. It rains, but not crazily. Being here, travelling around, and trying different foods is an amazing feeling.

There’s a huge selection of food here. From the authentic Karnataka Ragi Roti (finger millet tortilla) to a Belgian waffle flavored with rich Indian spices, everything is easily accessible.

The palette right now is wide. The ice cream flavors are numerous, with wine ice cream, cherry-mango ice cream, and butterscotch pistachio ice cream. Throughout my childhood years, I don’t remember having fruit based ice creams or desserts at all. It wasn’t that popular then. The ice cream that were fruit based were probably artificially flavored, so it was a natural instinct to go for the nutty cardamom or saffron ones, but a no churn pistachio icecream. It’s all so different now.

Although I do like the fruit ones, I still have a strong bond to the ones I grew up with. This is one of them., the no churn pistachio icecream.

Who wouldn’t like a luscious, smooth, sweet nutty ice cream? We Indians have a strong relationship with cardamom. The no churn was a popular method to make ice cream, since regular households didn’t have an ice cream machine then. I stuck to that method with slight changes after seeing Nigella Lawson’s Popular No-Churn Ice Cream.

This is one of our favorite flavors and it works so well together. I made cones using my recipe for Pizzelle.

If you make this no churn pistachio icecream, tag me on social media.

Have a lovely week my friends!!

Asha

5.0 from 3 reviews

Pistachio-Coconut Cardamom Icecream with Chocolate

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

The easiest no churn icecream is perfect for the summer days and these flavors are classic and delicious.

Author: Ash

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

4 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream chilled
1 can condensed milk
⅓ cup coconut cream
½ cup pistachio coarse paste
½ tsp green cardamom powder or powder for 3-4 cardamom pods
Semi sweet melted chocolate
2 tbsp coconut oil
Cones to serve in

Instructions

Clean the whipping bowl and the whisk very well and dry it. You can leave the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes before whipping the cream.
Add the condensed milk, coconut cream and the chilled whipping cream and whip it on low speed, around 3 for 3 minutes so it can slowly whip. Then whip it on medium high for another 5 minutes at high speed until it is almost to a stiff peak stage. Stop the machine and add the pistachio paste and whip it for another 30 seconds to a minute until stiff peak and stop immediately. Pour in a ice cream pan or box and chill overnight.
Melt the chocolate on double broiler, add coconut oil in it and drizzle on the icecream once it is completely chilled.
Enjoy

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Capsicum/Green Bell Pepper Rice – A Dabbawala /Lunch Box Story

June 8, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

Tiffin boxes are very intimately tied to mine, and many people’s childhoods. So when my friend sent me this write up, I had to make it special. Sharing a recipe that my mom made and came in my box every week. In the words of my friend, a writer friend. Enjoy this wonderful piece and share your thoughts, and say hello to my gorgeous and talented friend Lakshmi.
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Spicy Baked Cauliflower Fritter(pakoda) TACO with Mango Sauce and Red cabbage Slaw(Vegan)

May 17, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

The love of food the four of us shares is quite intense.

We all love to try different things, quite tough critics, and we might enjoy one more than the other. We enjoy a good hearty Lamb chop meal as much as we enjoy a loaded salad with some dressing.

Trying to balance out the carnivore loving boys with a lighter fare which suits our taste is a challenge I take on happily and love. I try not to fall into the routine of recipes and when variety is there, it makes it so much more fun.

This was one such thing.

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3 Insanely Delicious-EASY Raita (Yogurt based)

May 5, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

I don’t know how to grow plants. I can’t grow plants.

We never know what we get into, until we are handed a tiny little bundle with just the face peaking, eyes stuck together with some liquid, flushed pink face, and a blue striped or pink striped cap. We feel an overwhelming sense of joy, a chilling and warm feeling. Tears swell up and the first smile you give your tiny baby is filled with so much joy and love (and oxytocin, as my teen adds). It’s a feeling that has never crept up until then, and will never go away.

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Garlicky Spicy Egg Fry – Egg Masala Bruschetta

April 26, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

There are some dishes we make when there’s nothing in the refrigerator. There are some dishes we make when you have no time at all. There are some dishes we make that are purely comfort food and remind you of home. This dish is all of those things for me………

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