Basil Pesto Sauce
Lately pesto has become one of my favorite condiments to keep. Basil Pesto is an Italian delicacy. It is super easy to make, and you can use it in so many ways, making variations of dishes. My grandkids enjoy pesto pasta, my son’s favorite is making pesto sandwiches, and I like salad and roasted vegetables with pesto. Pesto has a vibrant color and brightens up any dish you make. Basil is a very aromatic herb. I have basil plants in my backyard. Because basil is the main ingredient for this recipe, I am always prepared. This is also vegan and gluten free recipe.
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Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce
It was my daughter-in-law’s birthday this past weekend, and I wanted to do something nice for her. For me, the thing that gives me the most joy is making food for the people that I love, and so I decided that I would prepare something for her to drop off. Due to the quarantine, this was the best that I could do for her, so I wanted what I made to be special. I asked my husband if he had any suggestions, and he said that I should make a dessert that my daughter-in-law, son, and grandkids would all enjoy. After talking to him, I was on the search for a dessert recipe that would be easy to prepare and also not too sweet.
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Bread Uttapam, South Indian Snack
Uttapam is a popular South Indian dish. Traditionally uttapam is made with rice and lentil batter, which can be a long process. Bread Uttapam, on the other hand, is instant and easy to make. Not to mention it tastes delicious. Uttapam is a thick dosa, or pancake, with vegetables cooked over skillet. It tastes divine served hot and with a side of coconut chutney.
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Chana Dal Sweet and Sour Paratha
Chana Dal Sweet and Sour Parathas is a delicious and unique blend of many flavors. These Parathas are spicy, sweet, and sour. The combination of all these flavors is simply delicious.
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Coconut Paratha
Coconut Paratha is a delicacy, I make parathas with so many different fillings, but I will say this is very different from others. Coconut Paratha can be served with the main meal, but one can also enjoy this as a snack with a hot cup of chai. One day, my younger sister Kumkum, who is an excellent cook, called me from India and told me that I must try this coconut paratha, that I will love it. So, in fact, this is her recipe. She is also a big help who I can call when I get lost with the new recipes I am trying. She always has good suggestions. This paratha has a complex flavor. Usually, stuffed parathas are not very thin, but coconut paratha is very thin and mildly spiced. They taste best when they are served hot. The paratha is crispy from outside and its inside filling has a different texture that is well balanced. Coconut parathas also taste as delicious when they are served at room temperature with pickle.
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Instant Badam Burfi
Instant Badam Burfi, or Almond Candy is a quick and easy recipe that will satisfy the entire family! The best part of this recipe is that involves absolutely no cooking. This is the time of the year when we are all busy celebrating the holidays. Of course, this year will look a little different, but we can always make the best of this situation. Since we are all busy with work and family responsibilities, I wanted to make a quick and easy dessert that is both delicious and sweet. Badam Burfi is just that. All you need is less than 10 minutes to make this delicious Burfi. After trying this recipe a few times, I was surprisingly satisfied with the way it turned out! I wish I had thought of this recipe before. During the holidays, homemade sweets make the best holiday gift for family and friends. The main ingredients are almond flour and condensed milk. Enjoy!
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Kamal Kakdi Ki Chaat (Spicy Lotus Root Appetizer)
Kamal Kakdi Chaat is a truly unique and tasty dish. I wanted to make something new and delicious but also healthy and easy to make. kamal kakdi, is an edible lotus root that has a crunchy texture and slightly sweet taste. After doing some research, I was surprised at how much nutrients kamal kakdi has. I was excited to try out a spicy chat recipe using it. An added plus is that this recipe requires no frying and is a nice healthy savory snack.
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Masala Bell Pepper Curry
Masala Bell Pepper Curry, which is a Hyderabadi-style dish. Hyderabad dishes are very spicy and aromatic. For me, bell pepper curry represents these dishes well. I wanted to do a recipe for a side dish for a more formal get together. I happened to have some extra bell peppers in my fridge, so I decided to experiment with those.
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Methi Bajra Paratha (Millet Gluten Free and Vegan Bread)
Parathas always have been a family-favorite treat. Lately I have been trying to make gluten-free breads. A combination of bajra and besan with methi parathas taste delicious. These spicy Methi Bajra Parathas have a biscuit texture, which makes it very enjoyable. They also pair well with gravy-based dishes like Mixed Dal, Aloo Tamatar or you can serve with plain yogurt. You can enjoy these as a proper meal, or even as a great on-the-go lunch! I also enjoy these parathas with just hot cup of chai.
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Paneer Methi (Methi Malai Paneer) Recipe by Manjula
Paneer Methi is a delicacy of Northern India. This recipe is paneer with creamy gravy flavored with dry fenugreek leaves known as Fasoori Methi. Paneer Methi is a perfect side dish for formal dinner or even a quiet dinner where you want to impress someone. Any way or time you serve this, it is delicious.
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Paneer Petha Ka Ladoo
Many sweets are made using paneer, which is freshly made homemade Indian cheese. Paneer Pethe Ka Ladoo is delicious and easy to make. This recipe was suggested by my friend Usha, who lives in Jaipur. I must say I really enjoy paneer-based sweets, which include Rasgullas, Ras Malai, Sandesh and many more! I decided I would give a paneer-based dessert a try, Paneer Petha Ladoo. Paneer desserts are considered very classy and for a sophisticated palate. They also are typically very refreshing, delicious, and easy to make. Another reason I like to make paneer sweets is because it is very difficult to mess up the recipe! You can start with one recipe for a paneer dessert and then if it doesn’t turn out right, it is very easy to fix and come up with a new recipe! Another favorite dessert of mine is Petha, which is a famous sweet from Agra (India). Petha is made from white pumpkin and sugar.
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Paneer Tomato Curry
Paneer tomato curry is a delicious and sophisticated side dish. My husband, who enjoys paneer dishes in every form, asked me to make a paneer dish, which is different than what I have made before. It should not be creamy. So, I decided not to add cream or nuts. Also, as per Alex’s request, I did not add spinach. After trying to make a new recipe, I landed on Paneer Tomato Curry. Alex really enjoyed this. I knew this was a hit with him because he cleaned up the entire plate. You all know he is my videographer, so this was the next recipe he wanted me to make.I have done many paneer recipes. They all are starting to look the same. In this recipe the paneer is first grilled and then simmered in tomatoes. This is an amazingly simple and quick recipe and is very satisfying. Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy!
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Ras Malai Cake
Ras Malai Cake is a twist on a very popular Bengali dessert “Ras Malai”. Ras Malai is made with homemade cheese known as “paneer” or “chana”. It consists of soft paneer balls immersed in chilled creamy milk. Ras Malai has been always my favorite dessert for as long as I can remember. Back when I came to the U.S. many years ago, Indian cooking was a challenge as there were very few Indian ingredients available. Indian groceries weren’t as plentiful back then. To top that off, I was also a new cook. I remember my friends and I would always experiment with different recipes for Indian food using whatever ingredients we could find. We knew we had to make do with what we had by being creative and learning to cook using the ingredients were available. One thing we discovered is using ricotta cheese as a substitute for paneer as it was the closest in consistency to paneer. We started using ricotta cheese to make many milk-based Indian desserts. It was then that I learned how to make Ras Malai. While it certainly was not the same as the “real thing”, it was super simple to make and very tasty! Most importantly, I got to enjoy a little taste of home with my favorite Indian dessert! I have done one more recipe using Ricotta cheese Microwave Milk Cake. Enjoy!
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Sorghum Dosa (Jowar)
trying gluten free recipes and exploring the grains I rarely used. Sorghum Dosa is one of those recipes. This is a good alternative to regular dosa it is quick and easy to make. Sorghum Dosa batter does not need to be fermented. Sorghum dosa also vegan and gluten free. It is crispy and has a lacy look like Rava Dosa. You can serve this with traditional Samber and coconut Chutney or serve for a snack with cilantro Chutney.
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