Parsee Red Chicken Curry — Cozy up with a touch of spicy homemade Indian this weekend!

This morning I woke up to thoughts of pristine white sand, turquoise waters, barefoot walks on the beach, and the blissful beauty of seclusion. Such is life lately—fairy tale dreams and thoughts of paradise. Yes, paradise. 

Hope you have had a wonderfully lovely year-end, and a beautiful beginning to the new year.

Tadka Dal — Spiced Indian Lentils

If I had to list my all-time favorite dal recipe it would be this.  

Simple, satiating, and soul-comforting, dal tadka.

The taste I grew up with.

Tomato Chutney – one more way to enjoy antioxidant rich tomatoes

I am quite amazed at how time flies.

This tomato chutney was photographed on January end. And we are into the end of February already.

Yes, I’ve been happily busy with recipes and photographs and, more recipes and photographs as seen here.

Kerala Style Egg Roast — Naadan Mutta Roast

Here’s a fun question—how do you like your eggs?

Scrambled? Poached? Runny with a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper? Or perhaps sunny side up?

Nutella Instant Iced Coffee, aka Homemade Mocha Frappuccino

Hello all, I'm back!

It’s been a while, I know. I should probably start by apologizing for slipping away silently. Although, frankly, I had not meant to go missing for quite this long. But, in between trips, dragging along carry-alls, and a month away in the countryside, somehow my plans fell away, and the weeks vanished into weekends, and it was hopelessly impossible to find a quiet moment to catch my breath, or to catch up with you all here.

Finally, it's good to be back after the little hiatus. Really good.

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.

Butter Chicken — Murgh Makhni — India’s signature gift to the world

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The history of Indian cuisine is as enticing as its exotic aromas and flavors.

For instance, look at the origin of the ever popular butter chicken, also know as murgh makhni in Hindi. Its evolution is traced back to Kundan Lal Gujral, the owner of Moti Mahal restaurant at Daryangaj, Delhi (the one that currently functions there is not part of the same business). It is a fascinating tale of political, cultural and culinary happenings staged in the twentieth-century.

Pressured-cooked Chicken Pulao or Pilaf with Raita and Pickles — easy, hearty, satisfying meal

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Despite the chill in the air, the sun is bright and warm. As I look past the French window in our dining room, I cannot help but admire the sight of these sporadic visitors—parrots—squawking around as if they are celebrating the season. I see them everywhere in the afternoons: in our garden, under the roof tiles, or just fleeting about. Then there are these small birds—I’m no ornithologist and I’m not exactly sure, but I think they are sparrows—perched on my frangipani tree with their cheep and chirrup notes that sound like a happy melody. I could let my whole day slip away peacefully, finding inspiration just about anywhere I look, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Sometimes it is the wonder of a bright blue winter sky studded with clouds—mind you, clouds are not a regular sight in Qatar. Or, the sudden downpour of rain... fresh blooms in the garden... fallen leaves fluttering in the wind... Sights that we often take for granted, or go unnoticed when we don’t have the time. I revel in the beauty of these little, little scenes before me.

It inspires me, lifts my spirit and makes me live in the present.

Kerala chicken roast — permission to indulge, granted!

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You know that moment when you can’t bring yourself to jot down a few good lines despite futile attempts to gather your thoughts? Frankly, this is one of those weeks for me. The spark is missing and I can hardly think straight. Even a jolt of caffeine or the tempo of my old favorite tune from Dido in the background can’t seem to do the trick today. So, in an attempt to spice up things, I’m going straight to this finger-licking recipe that’s guaranteed to warm the chilly evenings coming our way soon.

Rogan Josh, or, Kashmiri Lamb Curry — sinfully delicious blend of very fragrant spices and flavors

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It’s been too hot outside lately and my last two blog posts featured easy, simple, fresh and healthy recipes to cool off in this weather. I had another easy, summery recipe lined up for today too. On second thoughts, I felt it was more appropriate to publish a recipe with a bit more substance. Something that’s....mmmm, meaty, classy, unique. Something with a real wow-factor. Like the classic rogan josh I had prepared last week.

I realize I haven’t posted a single red meat recipe on my blog. Until now. Reason? We prefer white meat to red, and mostly don’t cook lamb or beef at home unless there’s a special occasion—that too, once in a blue moon. But last week, with my brother in town, I was in a mood to prepare something sinfully rich and indulgent to enjoy on a warm summer evening. Without further ado, I chose rogan josh. One of my family’s favorite way to enjoy lamb, desi style.

Spiced, Deep-fried Chicken — Chicken 65

When it comes to savory chicken dishes, my family and I totally love chicken 65. The name sounds intriguing, huh? Well, the varied stories on how it came upon this identity are even more interesting — check out wikipedia when you have a moment.

In a nutshell, Chicken 65 is deep-fried chicken in a piquant sauce. The symphony of flavors come to life in just one mouthful, making them perfect little bites for a cocktail party, or an excellent snack. A spike of lemon right before serving adds a refreshing zest. Nothing overpowering, just the right balance, I would say. What more? There’s absolutely no difficulty in making this downright irresistible dish.

Chili Pepper Fritters — Mirchi Pakora — Mulaku Bajji

Brrr. It’s cold, huh. To help warm up in this weather and keep things interesting, I’m cooking chili peppers. This time of the year is perfect to nibble on hot, spicy fritters, with a perfect cup of warm tea to go with it. Don’t you agree?

Chickpeas Stir-fry — Spicy Kabuli Chana — Vella Kadala Upperi

It’s a sunny day. A Sunday. Weekday in Qatar, weekend for most of the world. There’s nothing like a sunny day and good food to chase away the winter blues, don’t you agree? But the thing is I don’t feel like much activity today. I just want to have some quite time, go back to bed, pull up the sheets, and rest my eyes and my thoughts. Ah, a lazy Sunday.

Fish Fillets in Coconut Sauce — Chettinad Meen Kozhambu

Chettinad, a region in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is famous for its delicious, aromatic cuisine. This wonderful warming Chettinad fish curry is perfect for a family meal or for entertaining friends. You can use any fleshy white fish fillets like hamour, snapper or king fish to make this dish. Also, you can serve it with rice or your choice of bread – it goes well with anything.

Spiced Eggplant Fry — Vazhuthananga Porichathu

Aubergine is another term used for eggplant. In India, it is commonly known as brinjal. In Malayalam, vazhuthananga or katharikka. This spicy eggplant recipe makes a delicious accompaniment for rice. For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken stock cube with vegetable stock cube.

Chicken Cutlets

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Cutlets, or croquettes, are my comfort food. I totally love these crispy fried patties packed with flavor. One bite and I’m hooked. Especially homemade ones, nothing can beat homemade! This is our family staple for Iftar, an all-time favorite with the kids.

Potato Croquettes — Aloo Tikki

Mashed potato beignet flavored with aromatic ginger, cilantro, green chilies and onion. These addictive patties are a classic Indian street food, and simply mind-blogging!

Think of this as an Indian potato croquette. Tikki simply means “croquette” and aloo means “potato”, in Hindi, India’s indigenous language. This croquette is a staple of all the chaat stalls in Mumbai and northern India.