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This is another sweet dish to enjoy for Diwali this week. I made this last year and it was a huge success… here is the post.. enjoy!

This was the first time I attempted an Indian confection. I really enjoy eating them, but somehow never made them at home. I would either buy them or my Mom would make them for me. She would tell me how easy they are to make but I never seemed interested.

This time, I decided to give it a try and see what the fuss was all about. Well, it is quite simple to make. All you need is chickpea flour, butter or ghee and nuts. You have to saute the flour in ghee for a bit – kind of like risotto. Once the flour is similar in color to milk chocolate, you add the sugar and any other flavorings you like. The mixture is smoothed onto a platter and refrigerated. Once it is set, cut it up and serve.

Try something different this New Year, your guests will love it…
Click here for the recipe… »

Diwali- Indian New Year is on Wednesday this week. For those who are not familiar with the holiday- there is just one thing you need to know- it a fabulous time to eat good food including something sweet.

Regardless of  where you live in India or what tradition you follow, it is a day to eat sweets and spend time with your family and friends.

We usually get together with family and eat lots of delicious food. As I just mentioned, one of the traditions is to eat something sweet.

I had this sweet rice recipe which I thought would be perfect to eat on such an occasion. Actually it is ideal for breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee.

I grew up eating this delicious rice flavored with jaggery, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon and cumin seeds. It has an amazing nutty flavor. In this recipe I have used brown sugar instead- just to make it more accessible. I love eating this rice hot with a dollop of low fat tangy yogurt- it is delicious.

Try this one- it has an amazing flavor…
Click here for the recipe… »

I feel I have not posted any Indian dishes in a while. I end up making Indian food at lease once a week but sometimes I skip it- the problem is, there are so many other dishes to make… and I forget about the basic stuff. My daughter reminds me if it has been a while.

I thought I would post this very easy and quick dish that can be served as the main entree or as a side with chicken or fish. I usually serve it with lentils on the side and freshly made rotis.

I start with Cremini mushrooms- one can use the white variety as well but I like these better. I saute some cumin seeds along with garlic and ginger. Typically this dish has onions as well but I decided to keep it onion free- no real reason.. just didn’t feel like cutting an onion. The rest is easy- the mushrooms are added along with some spices and frozen peas.

My daughter loves mushrooms and doesn’t like peas so much- but she eats this dish without a problem…. I sometimes need to remind her to finish the peas… enjoy!
Click here for the recipe… »

This is a delicious meat ball dish. In India we meatballs are called koftas. They can be made with a variety of meats. My favorite is goat meat- but pork is delicious as well.. and so is beef.

The key to make this dish successful is to season every component of this dish. I started off with the minced meat which I seasoned with salt, garam masala and a small shallot. I let that mixture sit for a few hours (over night would be great). I then prepared a spice mixture consisting of coriander and cumin seeds. It is important to use whole spices as the grounds ones don’t give as much flavor- although, in a pinch one can use the ground variety. The next step was to blend an onion with ginger and garlic- that is the base of the gravy. If the steps are followed- the dish is a sure hit.

It is not the fastest dish to make- so I would leave this for the weekend.. but it is definitely worth the extra time….
Click here for the recipe… »

This is a very simple, weeknight meal one can whip up in no time. Keema is one of my favorite things to eat and make. Keema is essentially ground meat cooked in spices, onion, ginger and garlic- the rest is up to you. I love pairing the meat with different vegetables to make a great one pot meal. Brown rice or fresh make whole wheat rotis can be served to create and delicious and wholesome meal.

I made this one with peas but I also added a variety of different spices- which are not my usual. I used curry leaves and mustard seeds. The mix of spices gave this dish a fabulous flavor. My daughter loves keema- her favorite is the one I make with cauliflower. She devoured it with two big rotis and a glass of milk….
Click here for the recipe… »