About Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken tikka masala is a classic curried dish with soft tender chunks of char-grilled chicken, simmered briefly in a delicious & super aromatic tikka masala sauce/gravy. The dish comprises of 2 components – one is chicken tikka and the other is the masala, which is the gravy or sauce in which the tikkas are simmered. The word tikka literally means a piece or chunk and here chicken tikka are grilled chunks of chicken that are first marinated in spiced & herbed yogurt and then char-grilled to perfection....

Coconut chutney is beyond easy to make! At home we make it at least 3 to 4 times a week since it is the perfect partner for all Indian dishes. My family loves a change each time, so over the years I have perfectioned making so many variations of coconut chutney which I have shared in this post. With spicy and nutty flavors, these will surely impress your entire family including kids!...

Indo Chinese cuisine has a lot of gems hidden within its recipe box. Soups hold a prominent position on the menu. Manchow soup is one of those hot and yummy soups that is a crowd favorite with very few party poopers. Anyway what is it actually? About Manchow Soup Manchow soup is one of the popular hot soups from the Indo-Chinese cuisine. Stir fried vegetables are immersed in a pot of water/stock enriched with aromatics and seasonings to create a flavorful dish full of nutrients....

In India you are likely to find, a zillion versions of Kheer and Payasam dishes. For the uninitiated, Kheer and Payasam are traditional Indian puddings mostly cooked with milk. They can be made with grains, flour, lentils, semolina and even with Semiya/Vermicelli. These are the simplest dishes that can be made with little effort. The South Indian version of these puddings are known by the name “Payasam” and are mostly made with jaggery, an unrefined sugarcane sweetener....

What is Jalfrezi? While Jalfrezi is considered the second most popular curry in the UK, the dish has a Bengal and colonial India origin story. Food historians believe that jalfrezi (the original curry) was born out of the necessity to use leftover roasted meat in the absence of refrigeration. Jhal in Bengali means hot & spicy while Frezi is literally stir fry. This curry dish is a unique mix of Indian and Chinese cooking styles but was invented for the British homes....

However it can be made on a griddle or tawa. It is best to make these on tawa when you plan to make only 1 to 2 sandwiches otherwise a sandwich maker is a good choice. These veg cheese sandwiches taste best when eaten warm or hot. You can also make veg cheese sandwich the way I made this veg sandwich recipe just with an addition of cheese. How to make veg cheese sandwich Since we do not cook the veggies in this recipe it is good to choose those which can be eaten raw like carrots, onions, capsicum, tender sweet corn, spring onions and cabbage....

Both versions of pongal are offered to Goddess Durga & Lakshmi during Navratri, Varalakshmi puja and even on regular days. Many households also have a custom of offering this during Friday and Saturday Pooja. About Ven Pongal Ven pongal is a traditional South Indian dish made with rice, split yellow mung dal, ghee, cumin, ginger, pepper and curry leaves. The word “Venn” means “white” in Tamil and “pongal” is a popular lentil rice dish....

However it can also be used in the scrambled or unset form. Paneer is widely used in curries, rice dishes, snacks, appetizers, cakes and even in many desserts. Most people love it in a smooth and silky makhani gravy or in palak gravy. Though these 2 are the most popular dishes made with paneer, there are a lot many, that are lesser known but are super delicious & flavorful. I make various kinds of paneer dishes every other day as my kids love it in any form....

About Baingan Bharta Baingan bharta is an Indian vegetarian side dish consisting of a spicy grilled eggplant mash that is sautéed with onions, tomatoes and spices. ‘Baingan’ is a Hindi word for ‘Eggplants or Brinjal’ and bharta is a word meaning ‘mashed’ So Baingan bharta typically translates to eggplant mash. This is not any ordinary mash but has a burst of flavors that comes from fire roasting the eggplants. Though it is said that baingan ka bharta originated in Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, it is also made across India with lots of variations....

However this one does in no way taste like the egg toast but it is made similar to the egg toast replacing egg with besan. We do eat eggs often but during the festive season we are on a vegetarian diet for few months. This besan bread toast recipe comes very handy for me during those days. Besan bread toast is usually made with halved bread slices. But it is good to toast the whole slices if you have a large family....

Bhindi Fry Bhindi fry is a simple Indian side dish made by stir frying okra with Indian spices and herbs. It is made in numerous ways across India and each home and region has their own recipe to make it. The spices and other ingredients used to make bhindi fry are pretty basic. But it is seasoned or flavored with different ingredients like garam masala, fresh coconut, sambar powder or other spice powders....

I make vegetable stir fry often for the kids’ school box to go with lemon rice, coconut rice, pudina rice or any flavoured rice dishes. My kids’ do not prefer gravy sides for the lunch box so this carrot poriyal comes to my rescue very often. This also goes well as a side with dal, rasam or sambar & rice. I would say just serve it as a side in a meal....

Chana Chaat Chana chaat is so much popular across India and you will find it being made everywhere. Right from the households, push carts selling street foods to the restaurants specialized in chaat foods, you will find various versions being served. So there is no one way to make this. You will almost never find chana chaat tasting same in any 2 places. Some use yogurt, some places serve it with potatoes and some are made with all different kinds of chutneys – green, tamarind and red chutney....

Dahi Kabab Dahi kabab translates to yogurt kababs where “Dahi” is a Hindi word for “Curd” (Indian yogurt) and “Kabab” here means a “Patty”. Also known as Dahi ke kabab, these are vegetarian patties made with curd as the primary ingredient. Various ingredients like spices, herbs & gram flour are used to flavor them. You will find numerous ways to make dahi kabab. Bread crumbs, onions, nuts, paneer and even cheese can be tasted in some versions....

Dondakaya Curry Ivy gourd also known as Tindora, tendli, kovakkai and tondekayi in India, is a fruit of a vine grown in tropical climates. Dondakaya is the Telugu name for ivy gourd. It is an everyday vegetable cooked in Indian cuisine. Various dishes like curry, chutney, stir fry and rice dishes are made with this veggie. This is one of the veggies well known for its laxative properties and its ability to normalize the blood sugar levels....

About Falafel Falafel is a round or patty shaped fritter made with chickpeas or broad beans (fav beans) that are ground with spices and herbs. Portions of the ground mixture is shaped and fried to golden perfection before serving. Falafel are commonly served inside a pita or wrapped in a soft flatbread accompanied by tahini sauce, vegetables and pickles which makes them a satisfying meal for lunch or dinner. Alternatively, they make a wonderful Snack or appetizer that is sure to please both vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests, alike....

Fenugreek leaves are said to be low in calories, high in antioxidants and have a lot of medicinal values. So traditionally these leaves have been used as a part of a healthy diet to combat anemia and improve overall health. Fenugreek leaves are generally used to make methi dal, methi paratha and are also added to stir fry dishes like aloo methi. About Methi Pulao Recipe Methi pulao is yet another dish where the rice pilaf is cooked with fresh fenugreek leaves....

Panakam Panakam is a Sanskrit word that translates to a “sweet drink”. In the simplest and the most traditional form it is simply water sweetened with jaggery, flavoured with crushed cardamoms and spiced with ground black pepper. This basic drink is known as Panakam in Telugu, Panaka in Kannada and Panagam in Tamil. There are various beliefs about the significance of serving panakam on this day. Some believe that since Rama Navami is celebrated during the summer, panakam is offered as a cooling beverage....

About Paniyaram Paniyaram are South Indian crisp pan fried rice lentil dumplings cooked in a special pan known as paniyaram pan or chatti or kal. This pan is similar to the Aebleskiver pan used to cook Danish pancake balls. Paniyaram are known by various names such as kuli paniyaram, paddu, gundu pongala, gunta ponganalu and guliyappa. These savory dumplings are a common breakfast and snack made all over South India, with recipes varying by region....

Tapioca pearls are known as sabudana in hindi, javvarisi in tamil & sago in general. These are very high in carbohydrates and lacks other nutrients. So these are cooked to various dishes with nutritious ingredients like milk, peanuts, potatoes etc. Due to the high carbs saggubiyyam is said to boost the energy instantly. It is also considered a summer food as it keeps the body cool and soothes the stomach....