I made this recipe as a treat for my family while in lockdown due to the Corona pandemic. It’s easy to make and versatile as you can customize the toppings. I doubled this recipe as it is a family favorite. It helps to have a baking stone or a cast-iron griddle or grill. If not, […]
I had dinner with Rob, my old engineering colleague, and his wife, Remone, when visiting Holland earlier this year. Amongst other things, Remone is an amazing cook. She kindly gifted me with a jar of her homemade Sambal and included a printout of the recipe. I was thrilled! I love Indonesian cuisine for its variety […]
Last year my kids came home raving about the Korean fried chicken they had at a restaurant. That being the case, I did some research to make it at home. It seemed pretty easy to make but there were variations in the dredging flour, the pieces of chicken used, and the sauce in the recipes […]
I should make this stew more often because it’s one of the few foods that all three of my kids like. It’s delicious, fast, and easy too. Inexplicably, I make it only for religious feasts alongside Puris, Kale Chole, and Sooji Ka Halwa. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Yield: 8 servings INSTRUCTIONS […]
Hindu and Sikh temples give out free food to all visitors on a daily basis, regardless of their religious affiliation. In Hindu temples or Mandirs, ‘Prasad’ comes in the form of this sweet porridge and/or an Indian dessert or fruit and nuts. In Sikh temples or Gurdwaras, you get ‘Kada’, a whole wheat-based sweet porridge […]
There are many different kinds of bread in India. Some are made from whole wheat flour, while others are made using all-purpose flour, yet others are made from grains like corn or chickpea or millet. Puri is traditionally made using white wheat flour and water. However, when I can’t find white wheat flour or Chapati […]
At the end of Navratri, the nine nights and 10-day religious festival, I prepare a traditional meal that is vegetarian and contains no onions or garlic. There are four components in this meal: Puri (fried, unleavened wheat bread), Sooji Ka Halwa (sweet farina porridge), Kale Chole (savory black chickpeas), and Aloo (potato stew). This delicious […]
This is my Father’s favorite Paratha. He is my role model and I have tried to emulate him since I was young. Thus, this is also one of my favorite Parathas, second only to the white radish Paratha. It is really easy to make as it requires no prep other than making the dough – […]
There are many choices for Paratha fillings: some include meat, most of them are vegetarian. I vary the dough depending on whether the moisture in the filling will tear the Paratha. I use a wheat/white flour blend in either a 1:1 ratio or a 3:1 ratio (3 parts wheat, one part white flour) for the […]
The Hindu religious festival of Navratri (9 nights and 10 days) began this past Sunday and will end the following Tuesday. It celebrates the feminine nature of the Supreme Divine. It is celebrated twice a year in North India and occurs when the seasons change from cold to hot or vice versa. In practice, Hindus […]
Carol, my Malaysian friend, and a professional chef taught me how to make this dish. It is so aromatic and flavorful and the meat just melts in your mouth. Heaven! It is served with either plain steamed rice or coconut rice (where half the water has been replaced by coconut milk). The differences between an […]
Our family always orders this dish when we go out to a Korean restaurant. It makes for a fantastic shared appetizer or a main course. The pancake is crispy and flavorful and the dipping sauce adds savory, sweet and sour notes to the dish. Although, it is quick and easy to make at home. I […]
I learned how to make this dish from my Dominican classmate in college. It is made using sweet and green plantains that are boiled and mashed and sandwiched around a ground meat preparation similar to Picadillo (a Mexican sweet-and-sour ground meat main course) covered with cheese and baked. Think of it as a Carribean lasagne. […]
I found this recipe in a magazine from the local organic supermarket in Solon, Ohio. What a great idea for a healthy version of chips. They crisp up beautifully and can be made either savory or sweet depending on your choice of topping. They took minutes to make and turned out so pretty that I […]
I dedicate this recipe in loving memory of, Gisela Spier, my landlady/adopted mom in Germany who treated me daily to coffee and cake. She used to make everything, including apple strudel, from scratch. I followed the outlines of the recipe on the lilvienna.com site, but, I doubled the recipe and used my technique to stretch […]
Here’s a twist on lemonade, try making Tamarind juice out of the lovely pulp you made earlier. I made a gallon of this along with some Mango Lassi for a small gathering and watched them disappear. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 8 cups Click here to get the recipe for Tamarind Pulp. Note: Tamarind seeds, […]
There are about 1,100 varieties of mangoes in the world with a majority of the fruit coming from India. Mangoes are a wonderful summer fruit. They are delicious and nutritious. My Mom used to say (translated into English, of course) “In the morning, they are Gold, in the afternoon, Silver, and the evening, Brass”. In […]
Tapioca pearls (sabudana), which are derived from the cassava plant, are a staple in the Indian/Asian/Brazilian diet. They are sometimes confused with Sagu which is derived from the pith of tropical palm trees. Sagu and tapioca pearls resemble one another as they both appear as small, white, opaque pearls that become translucent when cooked. Think […]
If you have never had a Mathi, you don’t know what you are missing. This is top on my list of comfort foods. I’m still basking in the afterglow from having eaten three of them for breakfast with my cup of Masala Chai. Mathi is a crisp, flaky pastry that is generally served during high […]
Samosas are a triangular-shaped, flaky pastry dough that can be filled either with potatoes and mashed vegetables, spiced meat, or spiced shredded chicken. They are served with mint/coriander chutney and/or tamarind chutney. They make a wonderful tea time snack or a hearty appetizer with cocktails. India has been making samosas since they were introduced to […]
My family and I love tamarind chutney. It has a sweet and sour fruity taste that is in perfect balance on the palate. It is a must if you are serving Indian high tea as many of the savory offerings are paired with it. I use it: As a condiment for samosas (triangular, filled pastries), […]
Tamarind is used in many countries. Mexico uses it for making sweets and drinks, Asians, especially Indians, use it in cooking, for drinks, and in chutneys. Tamarind imparts a sweet-tart taste and is very nutritious. It can be purchased as a concentrate, a pulp or as dried fruit in a plastic block. I use the […]
This sweet, delicious, soft-textured, deeply colored bread started with the intent of making Challah. However, as fate would have it, I found an opened strawberry yogurt drink in my refrigerator that I needed to find a use for. Traditional Challah does not include any dairy, even in the form of butter. As a result, I […]
This chutney is used as a relish during a meal, a condiment alongside pakodas (savory fritters) and samosas, a filling for Indian high tea finger sandwiches or as one of the sauces used in making Behl Puri (a diced salad with crisp, puffed rice). This chutney can be made with mint only (leaves only), coriander […]