Pappu Charu is a simple but comforting lentil stew made with cooked split pigeon peas simmered in basic whole spices. Mulakkada Pappu Charu has a very distinct flavor from the moringa pods and is a great accompaniment to hot rice. When one thinks of South Indian lunch, sambar is such an integral part of it. But for people of Andhra, pappu charu is really special. It is a lentil stew but without any spice blends or powders added in....
Happy Wednesday! Is anyone else’s week just flying by? We’ve been working hard on new recipe videos since Saturday and we just wrapped up last night. We filmed twenty new videos in four days, so I’m just a little bit tired, but of course, still ready to take on the remainder of the week. Filming videos is so much work, but it can also be fun, since it’s not just me in the kitchen cooking all day long....
In stressful times, falling back on the classics is truly one of the best things you can do for yourself. Meaning, if your week has been a difficult one, bake these cookies tonight, and all will be OK again. At least for the 30 minutes it will take you to mix, bake, and sink your teeth into a warm peanutty cookie. Where your head goes after those 30 minutes is fully up to you....
Some of you may remember, but last year I shared a vegetarian version of this stew. I was so nervous to share that recipe. I wasn’t sure how everyone would feel about an herb stew, or about stew in general. However, over the last year, I’ve quickly learned that you all love a good stew recipe. Almost vegan, or more traditional, either way, you guys seemed to have really enjoyed the two stew recipes I shared....
Today, for the first time this year, I finally started to see buds on the trees outside my windows. YAY!! They have been bare since the end of September. I swear, I have been waiting for the return of color for far too long. I feel like this might be a sign that maybe these thunder/snow/storms and consistent state of cold and little sunshine may be ending soon. Like I can feel it....
Hope everyone has enjoyed October and all that comes with it! But at last tomorrow will be November and the Holiday craziness can begin! I know, I know, it’s still Halloween and I need to take a serious chill pill. Please don’t get me wrong I love Halloween, but I have been looking at ghosts and goblins since September 15th. I’m in need of a new holiday and some new decorations!...
Today is that kind of day. I’m not going to beat around the bush here, I’ve had a couple stressful days in a row, with some blog hiccups (sorry if you are viewing this post through Safari and have been seeing weird characters – hoping this is going to be fixed soon…like today!), work related issues, and a few other little things. But I am totally not here to complain....
Or at least that’s what I’m calling it, because today we have some fun warm weather, healthy snacks to chat about, Yay! Tuesdays just need a fun, upbeat recipe like these pops for everyone to look forward to. Today is my last full day in California. Late, late tonight I’m headed back on a plane to Colorado. It’s been a great trip, but I have to say, I’m excited to get back home and back to work!...
When I’m looking to impress my guests, I turn to dessert recipes such as Nutella cake, black forest cupcakes, an elegant heart cake, Nutella cookies or these beautiful and delicious red velvet bars. Whether you’re looking for a festive Valentine’s Day recipe, or simply have a hankering for red velvet, you can’t go wrong with these red velvet brownies. They’re easy to make and perfect for practically any occasion! Best of all, they have the flavor of red velvet cake, but with a fudgy, chewy texture....
Ever since I got the pasta machine at home, I have been trying to find different pasta recipes and pasta sauces. Although the classic pasta stir fry or the red pasta (Marinara sauce) or the white pasta (Alfredo sauce) are still our favorites, I wanted to explore more. During a casual browsing session, I happened to see roasted bell pepper soup and soon my imagination started working double time. Luckily when I found some really fresh red bell peppers, I couldn’t stop myself....
You can never go wrong with a hot cheese dip for a party, I always find myself making white queso dip, pepperoni pizza dip and this fabulous Rotel dip. It’s loaded with plenty of meat and cheese and pairs perfectly with tortilla chips. Rotel dip is a classic recipe that never goes out of style. I’ve taken the traditional recipe and given it a meaty twist for an end result that’s even better!...
Roti pairs perfectly with any kind of indian dish imaginable- dal, meat curries, tikkas & kababs. I am sharing a ton of pictures in this post to help you make perfect roti each and every time. I can’t remember a single meal in my home when there weren’t homemade rotis. Mom or grandmother served soft rotis straight off the tawa (griddle)smeared with homemade ghee or with grainy white butter on to everyone’s plate....
They say everything happens for a reason, and if it weren’t for my many, many failed attempts at making a new Thanksgiving pie, I would not be sharing these ooey, gooey, salty, and delicious coconut bars with you all today. If you follow along on Instagram, you may have seen my multiple attempts at pie making last week. I baked a lot of pies, all of the chocolate variety, and none of which ended up being post worthy....
I love to serve a green veggie with my meals, some of my favorite options include roasted broccoli, grilled zucchini and this super easy sauteed kale. Sauteed Kale Ingredients To make this kale you need olive oil, onion, kale, chicken broth, garlic, herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. This sauteed kale is one of my favorite side dish recipes. It is perfect with main dishes like lemon chicken wings, baked bacon ranch chicken and beef brisket....
When I’m in the mood for a taste of the sea, I make some of my favorite dishes including seafood boil, garlic butter crab legs and this fresh and colorful seafood paella. What are the main ingredients in paella? There are many different versions of paella, but they all have the same basic ingredient list. Rice: Short grain rice is traditional in paella dishes. Bomba or Calasparra rice are the two most common Spanish varieties, and can be found in some larger grocery stores....
I know that most of September is still summer and September days can be some of the hottest, but for some reason this is the month I start to get back into baking, cozier foods and basically all the things I love about fall. I am not ready to switch full on into fall (even though my weather up in the mountains has been fall-like for the past few weeks), but I figured some bread would be a good way to ease into fall-like things....
Saying my kids adore creamy chicken curries barely scratches the surface of their obsession. It is also often requested in our home. In contrast to restaurant versions, we don’t like our korma sauce to be sweetish or laden with coconut flavors. We like ours mild, savory, creamy and rich! What Is White Chicken Korma Korma originally graced the shahi dastarkhwans (royal kitchens) of the mughal emperors. Steeped in aristocracy, mughlai cuisine is renowned for its sweet-smelling, unique spices, use of delicate herbs, generous use of nuts, and exotic ingredients like saffron or rose petals....
With its exotic saffron-infused, luxuriously creamy, cashew laden korma sauce, this delectable north-indian main course dish requires about 30-35 minutes to prepare. It pairs exquisitely with naan, poori, or fragrant cumin rice (jeera rice) for a delicious vegetarian meal. My Diwali menu each year consists of a few decadent curries such as malai aloo curry, khoya matar or methi matar malai. When it comes to vegetarian main course, paneer dishes like paneer lababdar, palak paneer, or paneer kali mirch are always a hit whenever I have guests over....
I really do love this time of year. I forget just how nice it can be with all the fresh produce and longer days. It’s such a welcomed change from the short days of fall and winter. I’m soaking up every minute because before we know it, fall will be here. The only thing I do wish we had is a real garden full of fresh herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, and maybe even some peppers too....
If you are well into your Sourdough Starter journey, you will have a big jar of Sourdough discard in your fridge. Now there are a several ways you could use your Sourdough discard – from crumpets to pancakes to crackers and just about any recipe that uses flour and/or yeast. The very first thing I did was to start incorporating it into rotis/chapatis. The first few times I used it while making roti dough, I didn’t see any difference in texture or taste....
