Ingredient: garlic

Biryani is something i simply can’t get over it. This is the only dish which i can relish daily. After having tried Awadhi Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Kerela Biryani it was now turn to lay my hands on Bombay Biryani. I had this during my stay in Mumbai somewhere near Lokhandwala. The taste was little mild as compared to North India’s Dum biryani. Luckily i had a packet of ready made Bombay Biryani masala which i had received a few days back from one of my good friend Anisa Arif also the owner of Zaika. Apart from whole spices i did…

Falafel is a Lebanese deep fried balls or patties made from white chickpeas/kabuli chana and/or fava beans. they are usually stuffed in pita bread with tahini, hummus or a vegetable salad or a assortment of veggies. Falafel is a common dish eaten throughout the Middle East. The fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food. When chickpeas are used, they are not cooked prior to use (cooking the chickpeas will cause the falafel to fall apart, requiring adding some flour to use as a binder). Instead they are soaked…

Makhni gravy is something to die for. Anything cooked in a makhni gravy makes it rich and delicious. After cooking, paneer makhni, aloo maknhi, gobhi makhni…it was now time for some kathal to go with the creamy gravy. Had lots of kabab mix left in my fridge box which i had made yesterday. So thought to go for some kathal ke koftas in makhni curry. The delicate koftas simply melt in mouth and gives a marvelous taste when combined with a creamy and silky makhi gravy with a mild aroma of kasuri methi. I teamed up this awesome dish with…

Tandoori chicken is a dish popular in South Asia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia consisting of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with the spice mixture tandoori masala, pepper, red chili powder or Kashmiri red chili powder is used to give it a fiery red hue. A higher amount of turmeric produces an orange color. In milder versions, both red and yellow food coloring are sometimes used to achieve bright colors, but turmeric…

Dul Alu specifically belongs to Kashmiri Cuisine … The potatoes, usually smaller ones, are first deep fried, then cooked slowly at low flame in a gravy with spices. It is a popular recipe cooked in all parts of India but the most popular recipes that made a place in every house were Kashmiri Dum Alu, Punjabi Dum Alu and Bengali Dum Alu also known as “Aloor Dom” made in mustard oil. The Kashmiri Dum Alu has a specific taste and aroma of fennel and is made in a spicy gravy, whereas the Punjabi Dun Aloo has subtle taste with mild…

Vazhakkai meaning Plantain or Raw Banana is something i have grown up eating. Since childhood i always had a privilege to be surrounded by South Indian neighbors. They often use to cook their delicacies and send us too in a bowl to relish. Since then i developed a strong liking towards South Indian Cuisines. The use of coconut and spices in the dishes is simply awesome which certainly makes it stand out from the other regional cuisines. I still remember the aroma that use to fume out from my neighbors kitchen making me salivate…lol The neighbors were kind enough to…

Hyderabadi cuisine has evolved over centuries from foreign and native influences. The cuisine began to form during the medieval times and was reached to extend during modern period through the work of skilled chefs serving the Deccan nobility. The city of Hyderabad being the seat of former rulers was the center of many innovative techniques led by royal chefs (known as Khansamas) that eventually gave form to modern Hyderabadi cuisine. One amongst the many Hyderabadi delicacies is the Baghare Baigan or Hyderabadi Baigan. It is a popular Indian eggplant curry of Hyderabad in India. This dish is also very popular…

Vada Pav is the most famous Mumbai roadside snack. The vada is made of a spicy potato filling deep fried in a gram flour batter. It is the common man’s food in mumbai and is a popular street food snack. Vada Pav has iconic status in India. It used to be “poor man’s food”, but these days even the richest man enjoys it.Vada Pav now shares a place in the menu of many Star Hotels. According to Wikipedia , Vada Pav is believed to have been devised by Ashok Vaidya who sold street food from a stall beside Dadar railway…

‘Chefs Across Boundaries’ is a group of Chefs who set up challenges every month to encourage the participants to innovate, think out of the box and explore the culinary world. This month, one of the Members Hetal Kamdar (http://hetalkamdar.blog.co.uk/) hosted the challenge and her theme was Pondicherry cuisine. The Union Territory of Pondicherry boasts of a sumptuous cuisine that shows strong French and Tamil influences. Puducherry formerly known as Pondicherry is a small charming Union Territory on the east coast of India consisting of four small regions namely Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Whereas Pondicherry and Karaikal is in Tamilnadu,…

The word Satay is a modern Indonesian and Malay spelling of Sate , a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu/ paneer; the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond, although bamboo skewers are often used. With paneer in hand i opted to go for a Korean Paneer Satay in which there is a wide use of basil in the peanut sauce that not just gives an aroma to the dish but even…

Highway on my plate tonight!!!! Who doesn’t gets fascinated by Dhaba foods… No matter where we go and eat, a 5star or a 7star, nothing can beat the rustic flavor that a dhaba provides our palate. I am not much of an aristocratic person…i loved to stick to my roots, the roots of India that defines my taste, my culture and my food. The Dhaba moves wherever a highway goes.” The first Dhaba was probably established soon after the linking of the cities of India by highways (national, state and village roads). Food served in Dhabas is wholesome and full…

I have always been fascinated by the richness of Mughlai food. The use of milk, cream, dry fruits is just so perfect to enhance the taste of any cuisine.. even if it is a humble Aloo / Potato. The word Nawaabi itself defines royalty and richness. And if its a Nawaabi Aloo then one can easily imagine how royal the dish must be…with hell lot of ingredients …. right? Well the dish i made today is indeed rich but i tried to keep is as simple as i can. The ingredients used are easily available at home and the blend…