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:…

An excellent post workout drink, the goodness of almonds and bananas in this smoothie gives you the much needed energy to keep you up and about all day long! 🙂 This can also be had at breakfast or as a…

There are  times when I just crave for a piece of chocolate cake. Especially at night. Not healthy, I know. But what can you do? 😀 And with the discovery of this quick fix, all my chocolate woes are now…

I know this looks a bit untidy. Frankly, that was my intention. To make a homey birthday cake for my little brother. 😀 Of course, this wouldn’t be the perfect thing to make for elegant dinner parties, but will be…

This pudding is what I like to call, the ‘King of Desserts’. Featuring in every “Feast” my mum prepares on festivals, this is as easy to make as it is to consume! 😉 It can be eaten at any temperature…

Snacks such as Boondi (read boon-dhee) are a traditional part of our snacks prepared during festivals like Diwali, Navratri etc. Actually, the savory version is called Khara (read khaa-raa) and the sweet version is called Boondi, which originated in the…

Almonds are such wonderful, nutritious nuts that give an excellent texture and taste to any dish you make! Blanching is the process of boiling the Almonds and peeling the skin off. Really, it couldn’t be easier! If you have a…

It’s a blend of whole spices lightly roasted and powdered. Used specifically for biryani’s, the masala powder adds not only flavour but the faint aroma that’s required in a perfect biryani. The blend is similar to garam masala, but has…