Pistachio Loaf with Drippy Icing—wishing you a very merry, and a happy, happy!

It’s Christmas Eve and there is a feeling of beauty and magic and holiday all round.

Everyone seems to be on vacation from work with the busy-ness of last-minute shopping, family get-togethers, nights in front of the fire, holiday soirees, lingering dinners, and family traditions.

And while on the topic of holidays and celebrations, I am a little wistful for festive cheer and fairy lights and snow and a trip to Paris (ah, yes!), but most of all, mistletoe.

Orange Almond and Yogurt Loaf—light, moist, and deliciously moreish

It’s that time of the year again.

Christmas is around the corner, and the clock is ticking down hurriedly to a whole new exciting year.

The festive season is always a special and memorable time. It brings family and friends together with rituals and traditions, sparkle and magic, gifts and fun and food.

Luxury Dates with Nuts and Chocolate — Eid Mubarak!

Another October week, and I’m still a little slow with the updates, I know.

Lack of time is to blame. I just got back from a totally unscheduled and last minute trip to India. It’s been ten straight days of rushing around, rest and relaxation, and much, much beauty. Lilac sunsets and idyllic twilights, rolling thunderstorm and romance of raindrops, blustery beaches and moody ocean waves, and most of all, movie nights with friends and family, and the most wonderfully lazy mornings over many cups of mom’s tea and delicious home cooked meals.

Date Shake — simple, seasonal and sensational!

Almost half the year has rolled by and we are have fallen into June, and further into the long and breathless days of summer. Even with the searing heat and lingering mugginess in this land of Bedouin hospitality, there is so much to love about summer.

The sun, the warmth, the fresh tang of the sea air, and the glow to the skin, makes this a truly magical season.

Mango Lassi — summer in a glass

Lassi : |ˈlasē| noun; a sweet or savory Indian drink made from a yogurt or buttermilk base with water

With summer beautifully seeping into the lingering golden days and sultry arabian nights, I’m into a major cooler kick. The lure of a tall glass of chilled beverage that’s quick to mix and heavenly to quench thirst and combat heat is so wild that I’ve been going crazy shaking things up with summers bounty.

And while I’ve been cooking other serious food, it is astonishingly the drink recipes that I’m drawn to, and gets scandalously photographed and featured, again and again. Like today.

Chocolate Covered Kiwis on a Stick — boost your intake of antioxidants with this fun recipe!

Mid April. Monday. Sunny day.

It’s time for a stunningly simple, yet gourmet-looking recipe peeps. 

Don’t you love the idea of food on a stick? I do. And my kids simply adore cute little morsels on a stick. Especially sweet treats. Cake pops, popsicles, fudgesicles, lollipops, or just about anything sweet that can be popped on a stick—you name it.

No messy hands, or fuss with plates. They are so much fun to eat, and even more fun to make. 

Oreo “Blizzard” — decadent treat to welcome the golden sun-drenched days

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Featured on Foodbuzz Top 9

Last week was such a drag—cold, bleak and dismal. With the ghastly dust storm playing havoc with our lovely weekend plans.

Every once in a while there was a hint of balmy climate, swiftly followed by brisk air, and perfectly chilly wintry night. Oh and clouds of dust filling the air.

Some weather.

Nutella Lava Mug Cake

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Featured on The Huffington Post Kitchen Daily

There’s an air of expectation in February, and everyone else is joining in the celebration. For Valentine’s day, that is.

I’ve always considered Valentine’s as a holiday for kids, particularly teenagers, than for adults. Just the same, I was inspired to share in the moment with a special recipe—a treat for your sweetie, or your own sweet self.

Keeping up with romantic spirits, this special occasion deserves nothing less than a luscious dessert. With chocolate, of course—the aphrodisiac and quintessential Valentine’s treat.

Plateful is One! And I Say Thank You With This Intensely Chocolaty Mini Hazelnut Brownie Cake!

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It has been one year ho! Quite the year indeed.

Full of surprises, full of promises, full of discoveries. And, dotted with beautiful memories all along. One full, charming year since the debut of Plateful. Yes, it is Plateful’s first birthday, er, anniversary—whatever.

The journey has been exhilarating, challenging, educational, to say the least. Somewhere along the route all this recipe sharing, prop hunting, styling and framing for photography, and the communal joy of connectivity gathered momentum and became my way of life. A guilty pleasure. All thanks to you.

Chocolate Caramel Slice — the perfect holiday treat

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This is it. A December day.

The signal that the year is drawing to a close, at last.

It's a magical season. Of fairy lights. Of plenty. The joy of holidays, festive cheer and age-old traditions. Yet, this is just a fleeting end. Before the beginning of a new cycle—new hopes, exciting possibilities, reinvigorated dreams. Yes!

Soft-centered Mocha Pudding — a wicked treat worthy of special occasions

In a few days it will be Eid. Yes.

Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha, feast of the sacrifice, on the tenth day of the lunar month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, marking the culmination of the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. It’s a holiday everyone comes to appreciate in the GCC States, just like the seasonality of the Christmas in the west.

During Eid, it is customary to finish off the meals with a sweet treat, and share sweet dishes with friends and relatives.

Festivals call for special treat, don't you think? Now if you are looking for a last minute indulgence, I have something very special. It's tasty, it's chocolaty too. An emergency homemade treat for giving, or sharing at your dining table—a wicked treat to celebrate Eid.

Fruity Ideas to Celebrate Ramadan

This time of the year is so special. Even with the rising mercury and the overwhelming heat of the Arabian dessert.

As, here is Ramadan. Ramadan, the most blessed, austere and cherished month of the Islamic calendar. One of the most beautiful time of the year and our favorite too.

Though a bit behind, let me wish you all, Ramadan Kareem. Especially my dear readers and friends observing the fast.

Strawberry Crumble — a bit tart, a bit sweet, a bit warm, a bit cold

….and a whole lot delicious!

We are talking baked strawberries. Warm, bubbling berries topped with sweet, crunchy crumble. With sticky, ruby juices oozing out, ahhh. And graced by a generous scoop of soft melting vanilla ice cream. Oh boy!

It’s so easy to make and pretty darn good. A warm, rustic dessert with notes of vanilla, cinnamon and caramelized sugar. Yummy.

Quick Mango Passionfruit Pudding — sensational summer flavors

Passion fruit, ahh! Passion fruit brings back happy memories of holidays spent at my father’s place in the countryside. Swinging in the warm summer breeze. Chasing butterflies dancing from flower to flower. Playing on pyramids of hay. Drenching in the monsoon rain and splashing puddles. Swimming in the pond. Enjoying fresh fruits from my grandparent’s home garden — mango, cashew fruit, guava, passion fruit, rose apple, jackfruit. And, plenty more.

I have very vague memories of enjoying this beautifully sweet and tangy, aromatic fruit during my visits there as a young girl. It's a shame that we don't get to enjoy this fruit often anymore. You see, passion fruit is a delicacy in Qatar, and it's a rare chance to come across this fruit in the local stores here. 

So when I saw a stack of boxes in a supermarket last week, I was overly delighted. There was no chance I was going to miss this gorgeous fruit just because of a heft price tag, I thought. Bonus? I was even more delighted to see my kids experience this new fruit when I made a simple, creamy, dreamy pud using passion fruit and Alphonso mangoes – a quite sensational pairing. 

Exotic Fruit Salad — little nibbles of pleasure for a healthy summer

June brings scorching heat and heavy, moist weather. This place is broiling in the sun, with a sense of countless more days of stifling heat and high humidity—whew! To top it all, last Friday (read weekend), Doha was hit by a sandstorm, making the very idea of stepping outdoor a daunting prospect. It's little wonder that I’m feeling so nostalgic about the cool monsoon rains back home. 

Missing the rain. Missing my family. Missing my friends.

Popsicles — juicy frozen fruits on a stick — a taste of summer

It’s a beautiful May morning with bright sunlight and a clear blue sky. Glancing out the glass patio door, I see the frangipani tree in full bloom in my little garden with the fragrant white flowers and glossy green leaves dancing to the rhythm of the balmy breeze. The house is quiet but for the sultry music playing in the background. I am sitting by the desk, fingertip to keyboard, in an attempt to script my wayward thoughts. Just so you know, this is one of those months when I don’t have enough energy to keep up with the pace of things. To begin with, I was feeling a bit blue on the occasion of my young brother’s anniversary (May 1 per Gregorian calendar), and then I was literally down with a bad case of virus. Now that I’ve almost recovered, it’s another matter -- I’m on the run every minute of the day! Wonder what I’m hinting at? Okay, you see, my brother is in town. I haven’t seen him in over three years -- with him living in the southern hemisphere, in Australia, and a distance of over 7400 miles separating us. All the more reason I’m relishing every moment of the reunion. Besides, with his arrival, I was instantly able to break free of the ho-hum days with great vigor. Now, I’m cooking a ton, spoiling the boys with new treats, and—photographing my way to happiness. Cooking, entertaining and clicking too. Of course.

Watermelon Shake

Spring came and went in a blink, and the muggy summer days are here to stay. Nothing beats summer like a tall glass of ice-cold drink bursting with flavors. Yes, a hot summer’s day is the best time to plop your favorite fruit into the blender, work it overtime, and—sip, sip, sip those scorching hours away. Ahhh…bliss. Fancy more? Then pep up the mood with some good music, hug on to the coolness of the glass, close your eyes pretending to be on some exotic destination and savor every bit. Ha!

Chocolate-dipped Strawberries

Gee, it’s Valentine’s. Already.

Love is in the air and it’s time to create your very own Valentine magic, in the spirit of loving. Be the loving person that you are, and make your extra special gift. Something that’s simple yet emits class, looks top-notch and tastes fabulous — goody! With just two ingredients: strawberries and chocolate. Melt the chocolate, dip the luscious heart shaped berries, and spice it up with love. Yes, what better gift this Valentine than making these yummy bites of sweetness? Made at home, made by you, with plenty of love!

Vermicelli pudding — Seviyan kheer — Semiya payasam

What’s with winter and puddings? I wonder. This is the second pudding I’ve made in a week. First with rice and then, vermicelli. Now I can’t wait to make it with dal (split lentil).

Each time I made pudding, we could not stop eating. With every serving, we would dig deeper in the glass and scrape every bit with the spoon, cleaning it thoroughly. And then, each time I opened the fridge, I had to take one spoonful from the leftover. Then, of course, a second spoonful to satisfy my craving. Ah!