Lunch

Dill Daal Fry /Sabsige Soppu Dal

July 16, 2023 By Asha Shivakumar

The most flavorful vegan Dill Daal Fry aka Sabsige Soppu Daal recipe! This Karnataka recipe is fresh, flavorful and loaded with fresh dill. Perfect with Jollada roti or chapathi.

Eat your Greens, they are good for you.

The cuisine of Karnataka is known to be one of the oldest in the country comprising of flavors, different ingredients & unique techniques.

The food varies from region to region. From coconut based meat dishes of Mangalore, tangy dishes of Uttara Canara . South Karnataka is popular for the variety of rice, known as bhaath. North Karnataka food is much spicier in comparison to the other parts of Karnataka. Udupi rasam is world famous, to Navyath cuisine. Grains such as ragi, rice, jower, urad dal, semolina are some staples. Palm jaggery is also an important ingredient in Karnataka’s cuisine….

Gorkha Chutney (Nepalese Style Chutney)

April 15, 2023 By Asha Shivakumar

This Gorkha Chutney is spicy and delicious. THis is an inspired dish, that is a perfect side with rotis. This Nepalese style dish is called the Gorkha chutney. Vegan and SO GOOD!

I went through a stage couple of decades ago when I researched about various cuisines of India few countries too and wrote about them in my note book(which I still believe I’ll publish one day). I was so intrigued by local food of different countries. I tried speaking to friends from those regions, learnt how to make some authentic food(I tried). I could have a conversation about local cuisine to people and that felt good. Don’t know what happened to that book or that enthusiasm. I can go on and on about the various types of dishes I’ve learnt, but I’ll bore you’ll next time. Today it’s about the beautiful country, Nepal where Momos are a popular delicacy. And this dish I very recently came across. I’ts called the gorkha chutney.

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Leek and Sweet Potato Sabzi

February 25, 2023 By Asha Shivakumar

This Leek and Sweet Potato Sabzi/Poriyal is a delicious combo that is inspired by a South Indian dish. It’s hearty with coconut and peanuts, so good with Rotis or chapathis.

Many of you regular visitors of the blog come for your own reasons: some for recipes, many for the snippets of stories I share. Looks like we haven’t had much of a story telling on this page in a while. Wonder why?

I’ve definitely had a bit of a burnout, but I also wonder who has the time to read stories when reels, shorts and tik tok have taken over social media. I still believe there is an audience for stories and for long form content. What do you think? Sound off below.

An update about life. This and that……..

Ambur Chicken Biryani

September 10, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Hello Biryani lovers!! Here’s the most popular South Indian AMBUR CHICKEN BIRYANI. If you love biryani, this chicken biryani will WOW you. This one pot biryani is so flavorful and will become your go to biryani recipes. You will love this easy and delicious recipe that screams comforting!

Ambur Chicken Biryani #amburbiryani #chickenbiryani

I’ve never met a biryani I didn’t enjoy. Can anything be more marvelous than a big pot of Biryani? My favorite right here is the AMBUR Chicken Biryani.

Biryani making is an Art. It’s about the process as much as it is about that final waft of smell when you open the pot and see the separate grains of flavorful rice, the first spoon and the tender fall off the bone chicken. India has a kaleidoscope of recipes when it comes to Biryani: there’s the Hyderabi style chicken biryani, Yakhni Pulao, Awadhi Biryani, Kolkata biryani, Malabar biryani, Dindigul Biryani, Memoni Biryani and more. I can assure you, a biryani lover does not play favorites. Then again, there’s one child you favor a tad bit more than the other. This one does it for me.

Woke up bright and early ready to embark on the art of making biryani.

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Steamed Cashew Chicken Curry and Steamed Yogurt Pudding

June 13, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Steamed Cashew Chicken Curry and Steamed Yogurt Pudding. Tender chicken breast in a smooth cashew sauce and steamed yogurt pudding, a delicious meal in one all in the BUYDEEM steamer. Thanks to buydeem for sponsoring this post.

Of all the conventional cooking methods, steaming is one of the most natural and healthful ways to cook the food you eat; it’s a simple technique that allows you to experience the unique flavors of the food itself. Let’s explore why this timeless moist-heat cooking method is worth using in today’s modern diet.

Steaming leaves the food with bright flavors and textures of the food intact. Unlike boiling and simmering, steaming doesn’t agitate food, so it’s a perfectly gentle way to cook delicate items like meats, seafood and shellfish. And perhaps best of all, steaming keeps all those valuable nutrients inside the food, instead of in the cooking liquid….

Jalapeno Chicken with Bell Peppers

March 10, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Spicy and sweet this Jalapeno Chicken with bell peppers is easiest fanciest stir-fry you will ever make! With the juiciest, tender chicken bites and sneaked in veggies!

If you are anything like me, you love the heat. Here the jalapeno adds so much flavor and heat. Say Hello easiest-dinner-ever, jalapeno chicken with bell peppers. It’s such a quick, speedy stir-fry using of chicken tenders and you get the most tasty stir fry. But don’t worry, you can swap them out for chicken thigh if you like it.

I also love to add veggies for that extra freshness and nutrition, also soaking up all that saucy goodness. But you can use any veggies you have on hand – carrots, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, baby corn, you name it! They are all good here….

Udupi Avvalaki/Aval Upma/Spiced Masala Poha

January 18, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Udupi Aval Upma is a tea time snack also eaten during breakfast. It’s spicy, nutty and crunchy. It’s got the flavors of coconut, sesame seeds and spices along with jaggery to sweeten it up.

Last week a group of friends and I were discussing about how important it is to love ourselves, to be content and how to be self aware. It’s not something that comes easily. It requires consistent practice and over time without your knowledge, you are there, you really do love yourself. Just like this dish, it might look easy, but it has a good balance of many ingredients to all come together. It is about balance, about understanding the different aspects to coming to the final destination that you want.

The act of self love is often times misconstrued as being selfish. Coming to think of it, is it really being selfish?

If you got past that last sentence, then you have mustered every ounce of courage to finally teach yourself the essence of self-love.

In a world where we’ve been raised to put others first, self-love can often feel selfish. Setting aside time for self-love causes feelings of guilt, and we struggle to maintain a dedicated self-love practice. It’s frustrating. We know we need self-love, yet we have difficulty giving ourselves permission to experience it. Ironic, isn’t it?…

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….

Turkish Eggs with Burnt Garlic Herb Sauce and Feta Yogurt

November 30, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Turkish Eggs with burnt garlic herb sauce and feta yogurt. Topped with crispy fried eggs, it’s perfect with salty creamy feta yogurt and fresh avocado. Great for breakfast that can easily dinner, takes only minutes to prepare, is healthy, and so good! Everyone is sure to love this fun and delicious way to enjoy fried eggs!

I love my eggs. Our family goes through eggs like there’s no tomorrow.

I like eggs. In fact, I like them quite a bit. In my kitchen or when dining out, if I have the option to add an egg to a dish, I will.

I love the act of holding the chilled eggs, tapping it on the side of the skillet and listening to it instantly sizzle in a pan. It’s a morning ritual that wakes me up, centers me and prepares me for a new day. My zeal for eggs reaches far beyond the breakfast skillet, though. The egg blurs the boundaries between breakfast and lunch and confidently pushes its ways into dinner territory….

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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