News and Updates

Stay tuned with Manjula’s Kitchen for the latest culinary news and updates. Elevate your cooking skills with exciting recipes and kitchen insights.


Springtime & Holi!

News and Updates

I am very excited about the weather becoming warmer and Spring’s arrival. With this also comes Holi, one of my favorite festivals! Holi is the festival of colors and will be celebrated on March 28th. I am beginning my preparations as we speak! The house will soon be full of sweet aromas to indicate Holi is coming. Of course, this also allows me to spend more time in my favorite place at my home – the kitchen!

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Inspiration for Vegetarian Recipes

News and Updates

As you all know, Indian cuisine will always be my favorite cuisine. It will always have a special place in my heart. However, we are living in different times. Our lifestyle has changed with the emerging culture. The same thing is happening with food. I like that the norms are changing. My family, especially my grandkids, are not happy just with traditional Indian food; they need variety, just like me. I experiment with the different food from different cultures, staying true to my guidelines.

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Manjula’s All-Time Favorite Appetizers

News and Updates

There is something unique about appetizers: they are the most wanted and interesting part of the meals. Appetizers can be served any time but in India mostly it is served at teatime and is known as snacks. This is a wonderful feeling among all where we can forget about all the rules of healthy eating. While mingling with friends, we indulge in these aromatic and good-looking treats. Appetizers provide a great time for icebreakers, where you can get to know better people you may be unfamiliar with. It is easy to make these delicious looking appetizers the center of the conversation.

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Jowar (Sorghum) Dosa Recipe coming soon

News and Updates

I am one of those who enjoys cooking and eating, a real foodaholic. About three months back when our family got together, Alex, my husband, was given the challenge to see if he can go on a gluten free diet for 10 days. He agreed to do so if I also joined him. They knew […]

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Getting Ready for Diwali!

News and Updates

Diwali is just around the corner. I feel like this year has gone by very fast.   This time of year, is my favorite and I have already begun my preparations!  Sadly, this year will be different because we cannot attend our usual round Diwali parties thrown by friends and family.  This year we will also […]

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Happy Karva Chauth to all the lovely married folks!

News and Updates

Karva Chauth is a traditional Hindu festival in some parts of India. Married women fast all day, wishing for their husband’s health and long life. In some cases, and for those who wish to make this holiday more modern, both husbands and wives may fast together. This is pretty new and I’ve seen this only occasionally!

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Celebrating Navratri!

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Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well and getting used to our new normal. I know this year our holiday celebrations don’t feel the same. We are used to celebrating with large numbers of people and celebrating the festival season. I know it may not be ideal, but we can still make the most of the season by getting together in our backyards with small groups.

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Wishing You All A Very Happy Navratri

News and Updates

Navratri is an incredibly lively festival that is full of vibrant colors, beautiful clothes, and rhythmic music. Family and friends come together to celebrate Garbha, a traditional dance from the state of Gujarat. Navratri, or “Nine nights”, is a festival which marks the onset of autumn. The nine days of Navratri are dedicated to the […]

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My Thoughts for Air Fryer

News and Updates

After giving it much thought, I finally decided to get an air fryer. I checked out many of them and eventually decided to get the Air Fryer Convection Toaster Oven: it includes a toaster, oven, and air fryer all in one. Another reason I decided to buy this one is to save kitchen countertop space. I replaced the toaster oven with this air fryer. So far, I am enjoying it. As a toaster oven, it does a better job than any toaster or toaster oven I have used. I am very happy with the oven feature: it is big enough to bake a cake, small batches of cookies, and a medium size pizza. I don’t do much baking, but I have started baking more because the air fryer is easy to use and needs less time to bake it preheats in 2-3 minutes easily. It is also easy to clean.

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Story Behind Recipes

News and Updates

Don’t you think it is true? Most of us have some story behind our favorite dishes. Most of the dishes I make have a story behind them. This may sound silly but this is the fact. My grand kids will vouch for me saying our dadima is full of stories. We all have some dishes […]

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Where I have been?

News and Updates

I have not been doing cooking videos lately. Why? I ask myself. Am I tired or had enough of it? No, I certainly still have interest in it. I have been making videos for a long time. It started as a hobby in December 2006 and has stayed with me all these years as something […]

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Summer Salads

News and Updates

During the summer, a lot of us feel like eating simple, light and refreshing food. Salads are perfect and make for great lunches! Why not try a bowl of salad to satisfy those fresh and healthy cravings? Salads are super simple to assemble. You can use whatever you have on hand paired with your favorite dressing. I prefer a salad with a light homemade dressing. Try some of my favorite salads listed here.

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Mangoes are in Season

News and Updates

Mangoes are my all-time favorite fruit. In fact, whenever we go grocery shopping, mangoes are almost always purchased! I always have a variety of mangoes on hand. There are many different types of mangoes and everyone has their favorite type. My childhood was filled with fond memories eating fresh mangoes. I think I have so many memories attached to eating mangoes that I enjoy them even more.

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Some of my Favorite Healthy Snacks

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Due to the current state of the world, we have all been trapped at home and not by choice. In order to stay sane, everyone has been trying to find their own way to remain productive and enjoy their time while staying at home. Most people I know have been spending a lot of their free time in the kitchen with family, cooking together. I have gotten many requests for healthy and simple snacks that can be prepared with kids.

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Healthy After School Snacks

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When the boys were young, I made sure to have tasty and healthy snacks readily available. They would often bring their friends, who loved coming to our house after school. Our house was the place to be fed well with homecooked fresh food! I would keep their snacks quick and easy to prepare. They also love helping me prepare snacks.

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