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Chicken Chickpea Cashew Curry

October 29, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

This creamy chicken chickpea cashew curry is a warm, easy dish that goes great with a bowl of hot piping steamed rice or with some flat bread.

The feeling of moving to a new country and adapting to it’s culture, the food, their uniqueness is strange and an interesting thing. It can be quite a lonely feeling in a room filled with people, it’s quite bittersweet at times too. You try to adapt, but you speak their language, it sounds different. You still inherit all the sounds, rhythm and feeling of the your own language, the pain and beauty of the language, too. Then you stop trying. Years later, find that you naturally have adapted. You search for your identity in the midst of all this diversity. You try to hold on to your roots like a baby that holds on her mom….

Thandai-Rose Kulfi with Coconut Milk (Sugar Free and Dairy Free)

October 15, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Thandai-Rose Kulfi with Coconut Milk : A twist to the traditional kulfi with spices, layered and made with coconut milk.

I read somewhere that discovery is a process, not a goal.

October crept in quite quickly, bringing in a swarm of festivities. It’s one of our biggest festivals, the festival of lights, DIWALI.

This gentle breeze and the changing colors have me smiling. My favorite season has finally officially arrived this week! The fireplace is on, the candles are lit, and there are tiny lights all around the nooks at home. It’s been a glorious week of cooking, shopping, cleaning, to get our home and hearts ready for the weekend’s celebration….

Garlic Chicken – Garlic Chicken Egg Cheese Dosa

October 6, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Garlic chicken stuffed inside dosa with a layer of egg and cheese. So good, a crowd pleaser and an easy lunch box treat.

Dosa is probably one of the top South Indian foods that’s loved by many. If you are garlic lover, you will love this chicken, if you like dosa and garlic, then this is the recipe for you. This Garlic Chicken Egg Cheese Dosa is a favorite of our home.

There’s probably as many dosa varieties as there are burger varieties. There’s the popular paper dosa, which practically is like a golden thin crispy paper roasted in ghee, masala dosa, uthappam, vegetable dosa, rava dosa-a favorite of mine, ragi dosa, neer dosa, wheat dosa and many more….

Brown Butter Caramalized Banana Semolina Mini Cake with aka Sheera Cake

September 30, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

These mini brown butter banana semolina cakes are perfect for entertaining and for festivals. They taste like a popular Indian dessert called Sheera, but in cake form!

India can easily be called the “Land of Festivals.”

This whole month has been very religious for many. I always love sharing the festival food on social media. For me, it’s always such a wonderful time to spread love and food.

This festival, Ayudha/Saraswathi Pooja, is one which is particularly celebrated in Southern India. Ayudh means instruments, so this festival is all about giving due respect to the things that we use everyday. Cars, homes, etc. are cleaned in detail. Respecting the ordinary things which we would take for granted otherwise….

Cucumber Chutney/ Southekkai Chutney Mangalore style

September 18, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

This is a healthy and flavorful chutney from the region of Mangalore, Karnataka. This cucumber/southekkai chutney is tasty mixed with rice, with chapathi or dosa.

That night, after a long work day, Mom comes home tired and sits down for a cup of coffee. After a quick little chat, she goes to make dinner, which is ready in less than thirty minutes. She made this chutney and chapathis. We all sit down on our mats to eat our dinner while Doordarshan (the TV program) is running in the background. Mom and I look at each other, and she gives me a sneaky look. “It’s just coconut chutney with lots of coriander,” she says even without me asking anything….

Quinoa-Legumes Dosa aka Quinoa Masala Adai (Gluten Free/Vegan)

September 11, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Soft and flavorful, healthy and nutritious. This quinoa dosa, aka adai with vegetables, is a quick and nutritious meal. For breakfast, brunch, or lunch, it is so good.

As the golden sun is setting, I hear a door bell. The mail guy just delivered a package, and I exactly know what’s in it….

Ever since I announced the book, I’ve got overwhelming support from all of you. It has been amazing, and I thank all of you.

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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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Grilled Tomato Chicken with Herbed Corn

August 30, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Juicy, moist, and flavorful. This grilled tomato chicken with herbed corn is made with tomato powder and other spices. It’s a perfect dish to entertain with.

Trying to settle back into the swing of things, a.k.a. the routine after a two and half month summer break, has been pretty crazy. I feel like I have a long list of things I need to take care of, but feel like a caged parrot, screaming his lungs out to no avail. Now, I’m getting back to work, and trying to get blog posts up. Testing recipes and shooting….

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….