vegan

sweet bonda -Vada in Coconut Milk

October 20, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Sweet Bonda- soft spongy Urad Dal Vada soaked in sweetened coconut milk. It’s a heirloom recipe of a very culturally rich small community of a district in Tanjore/Thanjavur. Perfect Navratri Sweet.

The memories of this sweet bonda traces back to when I was about 14-15 yrs. Back road drives, our yearly trips with aunts, uncles and cousins.

That year we visited Tanjore, South India. Tanjore is known for many things: It’s paintings, the very popular temples that were build during the Chola empire, and their hospitality. How can I forget the food?! To this day, Thanjavur and it’s food has stuck with me. We stayed at my mom friend’s home. A traditional home with thatched roofs, inviting thinnai and beams that were intricately carved out of teak wood. There are not enough synonyms to describe how varied their food is and how very delicious it is.

Reaching Tanjore past midnight, we went straight to bed after a few minutes of obligatory talk….

Patod Ki Sabzi – Crispy Chickpea Cakes in Yogurt Spinach Almond Gravy

January 8, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

A popular curry made in Rajasthan. Patod is a chickpea cake that’s dipped in a curry. Patod-Chickpea cake curry is perfect for entertaining and a vegetarian lovers delight. The curry is beautiful base with spinach, some yogurt and a lot of other good stuff.

Food is such an important, driving force in our lives. We share and create some of our most important stories surrounded by food. It comforts us, nourishes us, and heals us. So far, I haven’t met one who didn’t have a special dish or fond food memory to look back on.

Eons ago….

I’ve come to my friend’s place for a sleepover. There is a game of rummy going on upstairs. While I am expected to be with the teens…… …

Creamy Peach Pistachio Horchata Popsicles – Gluten Free and Vegan

June 22, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Summertime means stone fruits, popsicles, and cool drinks. I combined the three in this Peach Horchata Popsicles. A delicious peach jam and strawberry preserve swirled in the horchata mix make this a delicious treat. You will not believe it’s not cream or milk based.

Are you a multitasker?

I consider myself skilled at multitasking. Like many working moms and women, I can get sucked in the Bermuda triangle of the regular routine chores. I can be thinking of one thing, doing one thing, seeing something, and talking on the phone with someone, all at the same time. I know it sounds complicated, but for some, we are wired that way. For instance, I will be talking to my family about planning a vacation and my topic all of a sudden will shift to my little baby bear, as to why he didn’t finish his chores… :). That’s how a mind of a multitasker works, I guess….

Creamy Pistachio Cardamom Horchata & A letter to grads

June 19, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Insanely rich and creamy. This is the best creamy pistachio cardamom horchata you’ll ever make. Spiked with some rum or served on some ice, it’s the perfect summer dessert or drink for parties.

We reached a milestone last week. My teen graduated from high school!

It is jarring to find out that he is an adult. A few of our friends’ kids, who we cradled in our arms, are now beautiful grown men and women, graduating high school. Gone are the days of Wii games and children’s books, and now comes the time where we ask them what they’d like to take to their dorm. A toaster maybe, or an instant pot….

Wasabi Broccolini with Saffron Quinoa Pilaf

January 6, 2015 By Asha Shivakumar

I have a great rewarding audience to cook for. We all share a common passion, food. Although hubs is not much of a kitchen person, his appreciation and knowledge of his food are admirably impressive.

I don’t have a strategy or agenda when cooking on most days. It’s even more experimentative when clearing the fridge and when I have nothing much going on. Sometimes, a meal comes from a place of annoyance and “Hey, I’m going to cook whatever…”

…