Indian

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….

Veggie Meatball Curry aka Pakoda Kurma

June 15, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Veggie Meatball Curry aka PAKODA kurma is made with lentils and soaked in a rich, flavorful curry. Great when served over ghee rice or jeera rice.

Sunday lunches have always been and still are very special. It’s mostly chicken curries with rice. There were days when it used to be vegetarian meals due to religious reasons and then came this meal.

Pakoda Kurma or Veggie Meatball Curry. The hearty curry base is a onion tomato base and the lentils vada is soaked and simmered in the curry….

Mixed Vegetable Curry- Navratan Korma

June 1, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Home style mixed vegetable curry, aka navratan korma, that’s deceptively easy and full of flavor. It’s perfect for entertaining or for a weekend treat. It’s a mild creamy curry, with the crunch from the nuts, sweetness from the raisins, richness from paneer all mixed in with the heartiness of the veggies. A PERFECT curry to have in our diary of recipes.

Mixed Vegetable Curry/ Navratan Korma |foodfashionparty| #mixedvegetablecurry

Image credit -Alanna The Bojon Gourmet

Entertaining the Indian way involves a soiree of chatter, chai, samosas, vada, coffee, laughs and then begins a never ending buffet of deliciousness. There’s something very pleasant about food when eaten in good company which is prepared with love. Every Indian household has their version of this very famous NAVRATAN KORMA which needs no introduction, some add less vegetables and some more, different spices which can change the appearance and the tastes even if so slightly. This MUGHLAI dish generally consists of cashew paste along with a good dose of heavy cream or even milk. It’s a staple in every Indian restaurant menu and a way to jazz up the buffet for a vegetarian party at home….

One pot Fruit and Nut Coconut Milk Rice with Golden Beets

April 15, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Coconut flavors are the prevalent ingredient in almost every South Asian entree. A South Indian meal always call for some coconut in some form. This coconut rice/coconut milk rice goes great with curries and a great side for any meal. Once you try easy coconut rice, you will see how quickly it will turn into the option of choice.

Coconut rice is one of those dishes that we eat a lot in a South Indian home.

Sunday lunches are very special. Growing up a Sunday lunch always consisted of biryani, some sort of chicken curry and pepper chicken. But, there were “fast” days when meat was not cooked and it was a vegetarian feast. Those days, it was Coconut milk rice, pakoda kurma, vada and some raita. I sure loved those days. I guess I was a vegetarian at heart growing up. But, I’ll never say no to biryani and any form of rice.

This is my favorite kind of rice….

Madras Kheema Curry

March 30, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Keema or Kheema Curry is a robust, peppery curry dish made with minced chicken or lamb cooked with earthy spices! It’s not the most well known dish, but to the people who’ve eaten this curry in Chennai know it’s worth. Serve this with dosa, idli or appam. Enjoy a blissful meal.

If you’re like me and yearn to cook something different, hearty, homemade and comforting food with the thought of eating something to warm up your senses in any weather then this is just the excuse to stroke that indulgence.

Kheema is a traditional Indian dish made of spiced ground meat, usually combined with peas or potatoes. Usually made with chicken or lamb, however it’s also great with ground turkey or beef. This dish however is inspired by a recipe that was written in my diary twenty years ago. It was called Madras Style Chicken Kurma that called for whole chicken….

Gujiya Pie – Modern take on the traditional

March 17, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Gujiya Pie, a modern take on a beloved Indian treat. Gujiya or deep fried hand pies are a quintessential treat for Diwali and Holi. Gujiya Pie is a unique treat that is easy to make and impressive for a party or take to a potluck.

One of the most awaited festivals and celebrated throughout India is Holi. Holi is celebrated in India by the people to get rejuvenated after the months of winter season. People meet, hug, share sweet, play with color, visit their homes together, eat delicious foods, wear new clothes. It a nice way to form a bond, re kindle friendships and camaraderie. It brings out the child in everyone.

It’s a tradition that dates back millenniums. It is the greatest festival of Hindus indicates the triumph of good over evil. It’s a festival that is celebrated over two days and marks the beginning of spring….

bitter gourd curry/Paavakai Kozhumbu

March 9, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

This bitter gourd curry is everything: tangy, spicy, sweet and sour and umami of flavors. Bitter gourd is also known as karela, paavakai, kakarakaya and more, is quite infamous for it’s bitterness. A vegetable that is not liked by many has a ton of nutrients and healing properties. This is the only way I can eat the bittergourd curry and you will love it too.

I would sit for hours and not touch this paavakai kozhumbu. Dad would be right by my side, looking at me and coaxing me to at least try it. Mum has already cleared out the table. We both, dad and I were adamant. He wanted me to eat a little and I didn’t have it. Mum would tell daddy, “it’s okay if she doesn’t want to eat it”. He would respond, she needs to at least try it. An hour and few mins in, he gets tired and realizes his little girl is a little bit more adamant than he is. After all who’s daughter is she and “I told you to leave her” was the look dad got from a smug faced mom:)….

OPA SQUASH DUMPLINGS IN SPICY CURRY-Kofta Curry

February 6, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Vegetable Kofta Curry is a very popular dish in India. This is my easy take on a classic which comes together in one pot. This opa squash and chickpea dumplings is simmered in a smooth sauce to make a delicious and delectable curry. Weeknight meal made easier.

Weeknight meals can be interesting, but not the most appealing looking at times. But, it was real. More often than not, the meals we get to share with family and friends do not take on the convivial, alluring nature we see promoted across blogs and boutique media. It’s easy to set a beautifully-styled farm table and encourage meaningful, open-hearted dialogue and then CONVENIENTLY disregard that meaningful, open-hearted dialogue is, by nature of our human-ness, a mess most of the time. The mess doesn’t sell.

It happens in a rush. Everyone’s got lots to do and you feel the need for extra couple of hours in a day….then comes the spicy yummy meal craving. One pot meals at his time does come in handy.

Here’s one I absolutely love….

Kohlrabi/Noolkol Edamame Fry

January 26, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Don’t be intimidated by kohlrabi/noolkol! This root vegetable is easily adaptable to many flavors and keeps it’s crunch. Delicious and Nutritious. This Kohlrabi/Noolkol Edamame Fry is a vegetarian lovers meat dish.

I’m always curious about other people’s comfort food. The stuff you eat when you’re sick or sad. I feel like it tells you so much about that person, where they came from, what they turn to feel better.

And when I ask people so many secrets spill out, gooey mushy nostalgic childhood food, some’s grandmother’s mutton, someone else who goes to a tiny box-line restaurant in old Shivajinagar for the flavors of that chicken that’s unbeatable, some else, who makes an elaborate meal from scratch to lose themselves in the method and to forget….

Karahi Chicken- Kadai Chicken

January 23, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

This flavorful karahi chicken uses fresh spices, tomatoes and slow cooked. The chicken is coated with the spices and tomato and makes for a very flavorful unique curry. I am so happy to be sharing my recipe for the best karahi chicken.

Everyone loves a restaurant style curry, but homemade is something special, healthier and more flavorful. Karahi chicken is one of my go to dishes to order when I’m at an Indian restaurant. It’s even special if you raid that spice cabinet and make everything from scratch.

When you eat out at an Indian restaurant, chances are that they’ll have Kadai/Karahi Chicken on the menu. It’s a popular north Indian dish that’s made with a few freshly ground whole spices and is known for it’s incredible flavor. It’s a simple, spicy dish and is traditionally made in a cast iron wok, but you can use a dutch oven or large saute pan instead….