It been a long time, infact, a really really long time since I posted something in the Sweets category. When I thought about this, the first sweet item that popped into my mind was jalebi. How I wish I could have it right by my side now!! Munching on them and updating my blog… Heaven!! Bah…I am getting so very distracted by the mere thought 
of Jalebi!! Ok, back on track, let me tel you about the best Jalebis I have tasted. It comes from a shop called “Poonam’s”…yes, its the same shop that I have made a mention of in the Samosa Recipe. Once it 5 p.m, people start flocking around this shop ordering for plates and plates of jalebi.
The shop guy charges Rs.6 for 1 plate which contains two big, hot, mouth-watering jalebis. Once you place it into your mouth, you will not even be aware as to when you have finished eating… its so very melt-in-the-mouth kind. Its the best evening snack, especially in the rainy season as it is a good match with the temperature and humidity outside 
Well, I can go on and on and on about jalebis… but to make it simple enough, this phrase says it all… ‘Its finger licking good!!’
Now lets prepare this melt-in-the-mouth sweety 
Make a quick note of the ingredients and the preparation method. [click to continue…]
Rava upma is undoubtedly the easiest dish to cook!! I can say this because eve an 8 year old can do it. Yes, I learnt how to cook Rava Upma when I was just 8 years old, and believe me, it turned out to be tastier than an upma made by a master chef!
This is when my love for cooking started as this provided a great boost to my confidence.Any beginners out ther – I highly recommend that you try out this dish first.
Even though Rava upma is very easy to prepare, there is no compromise in its taste. The aroma of ghee will leave you wanting for more. Its melt-in-the-mouth, soft texture and the great aromas will be a great treat to your taste buds. The dish tastes best when it is served hot.
So don’t miss this one out… Its a true South-India dish.
Make a quick note of the ingredients and the preparation method.
Rava Upma Ingredients : [click to continue…]
Puliyogare is a traditional South-Indian dish which is by large prepared in the state of Karnataka. It is also called as Tamarind rice. It is one of the tastiest rice items that’s being perpared from age-old days. Any one can try it and the best part is that the mix can be stored upto a month. And 
whenever we feel like eating Puliyogare, just boil some rice, take this mix out of the refridgerator and mix it with your rice, and bam!! your Puliyogare is ready to eat!!
These days, you can find such Puliyogare pastes from over a hundred companies available in the market. They are also available in heat-and-eat packs as well. But the home-made ones are the best. I always recommend home-made foods as they are hygenic and thus healthy enough to be consumed without giving it any serious thoughts.
And now, lets start preparing this tasty tangy dish and explore the real taste of tamarind!! [click to continue…]
Butter Chicken is one of the best known Indian foods all over the world. Its a flavourful, spicy chicken dish. The gravy of this dish can be made as hot or as mild as you like so that it suits most people’s tastes. This dish is also called as Murg Makhani and it just tastes best with black lentils – Kaali Daal, Kulcha or Naan and a good green salad. You can even prepare Butter Chicken on the grill. For best results, use a whole chicken cut up into small pieces.
I thought of writing this recipe inspired by my muslim neighbour who is an expert at this dish. When made by him, the ravishing aroma of this dish, especially the butter, would travel throughout the neighbourhood and I bet that even the vegetarian guys would have fallen for this mouth-watering smell;)
I learnt it from him, and so, would like to dedicate this post to him. Thank you uncle… your dish is just awesome
Make a note of the ingredients and the preparation method and take your neighbourhood by storm!! [click to continue…]
Hyderabadi Biryani is one of the most popular biryani dishes which has its origin in the Nizam’s Stae of Hyderabad in India. When I first tasted this dish about 4-5 years ago, it was just enchanting. I tasted the best Hyderabadi Biryani prepared by the world’s best Hyderabadi Biryani chef. 
It just melted away in my mouth what with the fresh aroma of the spices and the ghee. It couldny get better that that. Right now, I am preparing this famous biryani in my kitchen and am writing the blog while the biryani is being cooked. God!! I am just not able to resist the mystic smell of the spices touching my nose!! [click to continue…]
Bajji is a South-India dish, or better, a snack, which is suitable for family get-togethers and other traditional parties. Bajjis are best enjoyed in rainy season. In my city, once the rainy season starts, you can see 3-4 bajji stalls cropping up on every street. A plate of steaming bajjis and a hot cup of tea is what makes you feel that the rains are a total pleasure.
Bajjis can be prepared by using varities of vegetables including onions, plantains, chillies, brinjals and potatoes. You can try it out with other veggies as well and invent a new type of bajji all by yourself Bajjis are very easy to prepare – you just need to dip the vegetable in the batter and deep fry them. Here, in this recipe, I will be teaching you how to prepare Chilli Bajji…
Also, one important thing to keep in mind is that by eating bajjis, we will be consuming a lot of oil and is not for the calorie conscious. But, the taste is mesmarizing… the person who misses it is really punishing his taste buds!! Having said this, I’ll now start off with the recipe… Make a note of the ingredients and the preparation method. [click to continue…]
Aloo Parathas are my favorite… Give it to me anytime, and I am ready for it!! Recently, I had been to Rampy’s, a small restaurant in Bangalore.The restaurant is quite famous for the different varities of rolls (both veg and non-veg) they offer.Their aloo parathas tasted great and the first thing I did after emptying the plate was to follow them to their kitchen. I had never tried my hands on aloo parathas and this prompted me even more to learn it.
I had first tasted aloo parathas way back in my childhood when my neighbor-aunt gave it to me. But somehow, I never felt like trying it out. Might be because of the complexity involved in it. But now, after i finally learnt it, cooking aloo parathas is as much enjoyable as eating them!! I 
thought of writing this recipe on my blog when I tried cooking aloo parathas for the first time after learning it from the chef at Rampy’s . The outcome was a decent aloo paratha which was shaped like an amoeba!! The later trials proved to be good and it improved from one try to another. Now, my aloo parathas are the best tasting and even better looking than the Rampy’s ones!! I would like to dedicate this page to the Rampy’s chef, my teacher .
So guys, lets join hands and cook this wonderful dish!! It may not come out perfectly in the first attempt. But don’t lose heart… Keep trying, and I am sure you will make it one day!! (maximum of 3 attempts ) [click to continue…]
It been a while since I posted any chicken recipies. So I thought , why not write a small recipe about my favourite non-vegetarian curry- The Chicken Masala Curry. You can call it ‘The Grandmother Recipe’ as people are preparing this curry and and enjoying its taste from time immemorial. Infact, I dont even remember the first time I tasted this dish as it was way back in my childhood.
For me, this dish is most enjoyed while it is being cooked. The strong aroma of the masalas touching your nose and the the gold-colored, soft, boiling chicken tempts you to taste it even before the dish is completely cooked.
I usually prepare Chicken Masala on Sunday afternoons. With my family waiting at the dining table, its a good family treat. Chicken Masala tastes best when eaten along with Ragi Balls (and people who have no idea what Ragi Balls are, watch out for my next recipe!!). [click to continue…]
Gobi Manchurian is the most known dish to all Chinese food lovers. Well, its my favorite too… A bowl full of crispy Gobi Manchurian and a bottle of tomato ketchup is all I need to spend a rainy evening and enjoy it to the fullest.
I remember one such incident which can be marked as one of the most beautiful ‘Recipe’ days of my life!!
That was a beautiful cloudy evening and it was drizzling outside. I was just chatting with one of my friend who had dropped in after longtime. We were sitting in the balcony and we felt a little hungry as it was hours since we had lunch. It was too early for our dinner, and moreover we were not in a position to hold our hunger till dinner. That’s when I thought of the mouth watering Gobi Manchurian, the spicy Indo-Chinese recipe. Even though Gobi Manchurian can be made as a gravy as well as a dry dish, we decided to prepare the dry one as it was kind of a snack for us. We started to prepare the dish and the outcome was the best Gobi Manchurian I ever prepared. We literally started to dig into the bowl like rats, thanks to the hunger element inside and the dish was over before it was brought to the dining table!!
So, I guess its time for some Gobi Manchurian this time. Let me share this mouth watering dish with you… Give it a try, you wont be disappointed… [click to continue…]
Isn’t the name itself so tempting and mouth-watering…?? Yes, thats the speciality of Chicken Tandoori, our recipe for today. And those who don’t know how the dish was christened with the name “Chicken Tandoori”, here is a short intro:
The Tandoor is a clay oven and dishes cooked in it are called Tandoori dishes. It has fierce but an even distribution of heat that enables the meat to cook quickly, forming a light crust on the outside, sealing the 
juices of the meat, leaving the inside, moist and succulent after it is cooked. It is possible to achieve perfectly satisfactory results by using a conventional gas or electric oven setting it at the highest temperature, though the distinctive flavor of the clay-cooked Chicken Tandoori will not be achieved. “
My friend Sabah taught me how to prepare Chicken Tandoori. She taught it in such a simple way that I was able to pick it up easily and instantly. However, you need to practice atleast twice to achieve 100% perfection. My dad loves the way I cook it and now he has become a great fan of Chicken Tandoori. So, i make it a point to cook this dish atleast twice a month and and watch him feast on it [click to continue…]