Shaheen Ali

Millet are some of the oldest of cultivated crops. The term millet is applied to various grass crops whose seeds are harvested for food or feed. The five millet species of commercial importance are proso, foxtail, barnyard, browntop and pearl. The minor millet consumption has been in practice since the beginning of ancient civilizations of world. Generally, the millet are small-grained, annual, warm-weather cereals belonging to grass family. They are highly tolerant to extreme weather conditions such as drought and are nutritious compared to the major cereals such as rice and wheat. They contain low phytic acid and are rich…

Chenna poda |ଛେନାପୋଡ଼ is a cheese dessert from the state of Odisha in eastern India. Chenna poda literally means Roasted Cheese in Odia. It is made of well-kneaded homemade fresh cheese chenna, sugar, cashew nuts and raisins, and is baked for several hours until it browns. Chenna poda is the only well known Indian dessert whose flavor is predominantly derived from the caramelisation of sugar. Chhena poda is usually made at home during traditional festivals in Odisha, such as Durga Puja. It is also served in small traditional roadside stalls and confectioneries throughout the state along with other delicacies such…

No fine dining can beat the taste of rustic dhaba style food. It takes hardly few minutes for the food to get prepared and arrive to your table in a dhaba and trust me the taste is unbeatable. Dhaba Style Spicy Paneer Masala. This is one dish which my family has to order whenever we stop/ halt in a Highway Dhaba for lunch or dinner. Spicy and aromatic curry with heavy pieces of soft paneer and crushed kasuri methi all over,,,ummmm complete bliss! Today i am sharing the recipe of this rustic paneer dish which i got to learn from…

Thengai Arisi Payasam is rice and coconut cooked with jaggery and coconut milk. It’s a kind of kheer where the rice is soaked and then coarsely grounded with coconut and later flavored with jaggery syrup and topped with fried nuts and dry fruits. Thengai Payasam is made during the Tamil New Year. Among many payasam recipes, this thengai payasam happens to be my favorite during the festive season. I often use to enjoy this delicacy sent by our Tamil neighbors but never got a chance to learn to cook this. Finally got the recipe at Sharmi’s Passion and thought of…

Manchurian is the famous Chinese staple which is made with lots of variations. Manchurian has both veg and non veg versions. The veg version too has a lot of varieties. Vegetable Manchurian being the most common and favorite dish is made with fried vegetable balls in thick sauce is best accompaniment with fried rice or noodles. The sauce can be thickened as per one’s choice, as it can be made dry as well. Apart from veg manchurian, cauliflower manchurian, paneer manchurian and mushroom manchurian are the common favorites.

February had been a crazy month for me. Got a friend back home, then valentine’s day and now ending up with my son’s annual exams. Kids have all the reasons to black mail parents when they make them sit and study. So does my son, everyday he wants something new just because he listens to me and study well…. lol Summers are here so why not serve your kids with something delicious, their all time favorites and chilled. Yes, how about making some chocolate cups filled with easy cream cheese frosting and topped with their favorite funky and colorful confetti….

Summers are almost on here, and this is when i scratch my brain a lot thinking what to make and what not to make. Weekend starts tomorrow and again my family will hog over all non veg stuffs, so i guess today is the time where i have a chance to make something that i can relish completely. Being a Rajasthani , besan or chickpea flour is something which is in my blood…lol. My dad use to love anything made with besan. One such amazing Rajasthani delicacy made with besan is GATTE KI SABZI. Cylindrical chickpea dumplings cooked with an…

It’s been long i have been wanting to bake something very basic , that can be enjoyed by children, easy for non bakers or those who are new into baking and last but not the least, something eggless. Every time i bake a cake, cookie or a muffin, my readers keep on requesting for the eggless version. So here is the very basic, choco chip muffing which is eggless and can be made very easily. Muffins are easy tea time snacks that can be made either sweet or savory. Muffins are the cup cakes that can be flavored as per…

Winters have gone but my love for some authentic winter delicacies will never fade away. One such love is the Bihari Litti Chokha! Ever since i visited one hawker at my city who seels some mouth watering Litti Chokha i had been wanting to make this at home. The hawker use to sell two littis with baigan and aloo chokha along with an awesome tomato garlic chutney with some salads as well for 30 Rs. Isn’t it too cheap? Well i say this today because after making it today at my home, i realized how much labour it takes to…

Arcot is sweet lover’s paradise in Vellore City, this historical town has carried forward a piece of its rich legacy in the form of a delicacy known as Makkan Peda! Well the Makkan Peda certainly looks close to our very famous Gulab Jamuns or you can say it’s quiet close to those super delicious, heavy duty, stuffed Mawa Batis from Indore. No matter what and how it looks, this recipe certainly doesn’t calls for that instant gulab jamun mix. To get the authentic Makkan Peda flavor, you have to go through an elaborated way. The procedure of making Makkan Peda…

Nankhatai or Indian short bread cookies is one of the most favorite recipes in Indian homes. I remember my mother use to make Dabba full of Nankhatais when i was in hostel. The moment i use to open the box, the whole room use to fill with the exotic aroma. Nankhatais can be flavored as per one’s choice, But the basics remain the same. Well the cracked khasta cookies is not just aromatic but also very filling. Here i am sharing the basic Nankhatai recipe with you all where i have used cardamom as the flavoring ingredient and topped with…

Every Bengali knows how it feels to have a bowl of Bhapa Doi after every meal…. bliss! No Bong meal is complete without a sweet or a dessert in the end. West Bengal is famous for its sweet delicacies… among various authentic sweet preparation, one very famous and absolutely delectable dessert is Bhapa Doi or Baked/ Steamed Yogurt. Hung curd blended with milk and condensed milk is either baked in the oven or steamed on the stove top is a must have sweet dish in Bengali weddings. I first got the chance to taste this amazing dessert in Kolkata. People…