I really envy people living in the US. Most of the cake-decorating items, types of cheese etc are available everywhere and they aren’t as expensive as they are in India! The other day I went looking for Cream Cheese to…

While Pizza is from Italy, there are no hard & fast rules to maintain the Italian flavors! Take this one for example. With quintessential Indian ingredients and cooked over a griddle rather than an oven, this pizza is what you…

China grass or Agar Agar or Kanten is a sea weed and completely vegetarian. It gives a smooth, glossy finish and many chefs prefer to use it over gelatin. China grass, if used properly sets easily at room temperature. The…

Greek Salad is a summer salad of the (obviously) Greek cuisine. Endive lettuce, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, black olives and tomatoes – sprinkled generously with Olive oil. My Greek salad was colorful and delectable! And the whole thing took hardly a few…

Hot Dogs are now no longer just comfort food for the non vegetarians! 😉 With a far more healthier ‘sausage’, this snack is as healthy as it is delicious.

When you talk about comfort food, Au Gratin is one dish that comes to my mind. Loads of cheese, sauce and vegetable/pasta layered and baked gives the ultimate feeling of being in a comfortable place enjoying homey food. 🙂 Try…

Phulka (read Full-kaa) is a commonly eaten wheat flour based flat bread in India. It is the staple food of most Indians (well, maybe after Rice! ;)) This is such a wonderful carrier of veggies! You can make any dry…

Cholafali (read: cho-laa-fuh-lee) is a popular Gujarati snack often prepared during the festival of Diwali. These are spicy mixed flour fingers deep fried in oil. Simple ingredients, some times on hand, and loads of patience with the dough gives you…

It is always easier to just buy these snacks from a store nearby. They’re cheaper and less time consuming. But festivals bring a whole new energy and even lazy people (like me :P) love donning the chef’s hat and making…

Shankarpali is a snack popular in Maharashtra, India. It is traditionally enjoyed as a treat on the Diwali holiday.At home, Ma makes this to mix it with other homemade savory goodies to make a delicious mixture. Healthy? Of course not.…

What chutney is to India is what Pesto is to Italy! 🙂 A thick sauce pounded with the traditional mortar and pestle and works well for pastas, pizzas, as a dip, sauce anything! Because pesto is a generic term for…

These are your basic fried chickpea flour noodles. But they make a significant appearance in our festival goodie preparations. Every Diwali, Ma makes close to 2 kgs just to distribute among friends and family! We call this Oma Podi. (read:…