Garlic

Posted in Punjabi, Rice & Dal, Superfoods

Dal Makhani

There are some dishes which you never make at home because you always like to have those at restaurants. Dal Makhani was one of these until I had ‘the best dal makhani ever’ made by S. He was famous for his recipe during his college days and I must admit he did a great job. On a second thought the butter, and more butter, the cream and the masala did a fantastic job. Later, I served him dal makhani made without butter and cream and it was still as fabulous as his version, he looked surprised! Urad Dal is rich in…

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Posted in Breakfast, Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Snacks

लाल भोपळ्याचे धपाटे / Pumpkin Paratha

When I saw a small red pumpkin in farmer’s market, it reminded me of my childhood. My gradma (aajji) used to make gharage (घारगे) and dhapate (धपाटे). I used to love eating gharage after coming home from school. ‘Gharga’ is a sweet pumpkin puri and of couse a deep fried puri. Dhapata on the other hand, is a savory version and it’s not deep fried, so it’s more like a paratha or thepla. It must be healthy as there is nothing unhealthy – either ingredients or the process. Give it a shot. [purerecipe]

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Posted in Appetizers, Entertaining, Mediterranean, Snacks

Baked Falafel with Cucumber Dip

Healthy can be Yummy! There was a time when I had Falafel wrap from Dish N Dash at least once a week. I really miss this place. Falafel was on my list for a long time but “deep-fried” and “cleaning-after-deep-frying” were the main reasons to put it off. This weekend I decided to give it a shot and instead of frying I baked flattened falafel balls and here is the result – It takes much less time and it’s a no-mess recipe. Definitely a keeper. I served these falafel with cool cucumber dip. [purerecipe] Linking it to Foodomania’s Christmas Cook-Off Contest

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Subji / Curry

Moong, Kale Chane, Chavali Usal

Usal is a very common main dish in Maharashtrian homes and especially useful when you don’t have a full pantry. It contains any sprouted grains such as moong, kale chane or Chavali (black eyed peas) mixed together with sautéed onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. The special Maharashtrian touch comes from Goda masala + grated coconut and a bit of jaggery. This recipe can be used for any grains or combination. The other day I didn’t have enough moong or kale chane so I mixed them and it turned out just perfect! You need to soak moong and kale chane overnight…

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Posted in Continental, Italian

Tomato Basil Pasta

Take a short trip to Italy in the comfort of your own kitchen! The biggest inspiration for this dish was the delicious pasta made by my friend in almost no time. I have promised him not to mention his name in public. I modified his recipe by adding some vegetables. But otherwise, it’s a very simple recipe and in fact I consider it to be a part of “maggie-league”. It’s that simple and yummy! I used Barilla Mezze Penne pasta but you can use any other penne pasta and boil it as per the instructions given on the box AL…

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Posted in Entertaining, Subji / Curry

Pav Bhaji – Yum O!

Pav bhaji is my weak point. It tastes best when you have it at a road-side place or not-so-healthy place It was a long time since I made it so when we invited Kandy for dinner, pav bhaji was our first choice. He loved it. This is how I made it. [purerecipe]

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