Sweets are the currency of celebrations in India. We have a custom of sending sweets to our loved ones whenever there is any good news. When a child is born we distribute peda, a sweet made out of condensed milk. All the guests at weddings receive a box of sweets as a gift. Our festivals invariably involve cooking, eating, and distributing sweets and other delicacies. It is also common in India for neighbors to share their food and recipes. Our neighbors would send out samplers to us when they tried a new recipe or made a special dish. The next day, my mom would fill their empty plate with something she had made that day. We kids got to deliver these treats back and forth and we kept the … [Read more...]
Healthy Cookies – Quinoa and Almond Flour Cookies with Chai Spiced Almond Butter
When I decided to make a change in my life by making healthier choices, I had to unlearn so many of my old habits. One of the hardest things to do was to eat more. Yes, more. Back when I was heavier, skipping meals was something I gave myself props for. I would start my day with a large cup of Starbucks coffee with two shots of espresso, and that would set me up till about 4 pm. I wouldn't get hungry and I used to be so happy about that! Dinner was my largest meal, and because I felt so good about skipping meals earlier in the day, generally I indulged myself with comfort foods at restaurants. As I started to make a positive change in my eating habits, I learned about the importance of … [Read more...]
Baked Samosas with Sprouted Moong Filling
Every culture has a version of samosas - fried or baked pastry with savory fillings like potatoes, peas, or ground meats. My mom used to make samosas from scratch, and they were always served hot for the guests. Our little family would turn into a small commercial enterprise. I would roll the pastries, my little sister would put the filling in, and my mom will fry the samosas. Dad was the floor manager taking out the hot fried samosas to our beloved guests. Traditionally, samosas are deep-fried, but I think the baked version tasted even better! Guilt-free samosas? Count me in! When the issue of obesity in the western world is discussed, the media is quick to point out restaurants … [Read more...]
A Healthy Snack – Roasted Lentils with Green Mango Salsa
Jugaad (Hindi: जुगाड़) - Jugaad is a term applied to a creative or innovative idea providing a quick, alternative way of solving or fixing a problem. Jugaad literally means an improvised arrangement or work-around, which has to be used because of lack of resources. Jugaad sums up the lifestyle of millions of people in India. I saw my parents buy a dress for me, which got passed on to my little sister. When she outgrew the dress, it was turned into a pillow cover. When the cover started showing holes, it was turned into cloth to clean our bicycles with. Poor dress. Jugaad is most visible if you are traveling in India by train. Four people might be sitting on a berth that's meant for two, … [Read more...]
Birthday Cake – Almond Cake with Honey
I met a boy 21 years ago, the boy was 13 then. He was a slender kid with curly hair who rode around his bicycle on the dirt roads in India. He could solve math problems faster than anyone I have known. I was an emotional girl, who saw beauty in flowers and dreamt of the ocean. He read "Think and Grow Rich" while I read "Pride and Prejudice". We were polar opposites from the beginning. He lived in a hostel, away from his parents. I thought the reason why he wanted to be friends with me was the homemade meals he got to have at my place sometimes. He was full of big dreams; he told me he wanted to see the world and take me with him. I listened to him intently as he told me what America would … [Read more...]
Lentil and Eggplant Vegetarian Meatballs
Anup and I love change, and it reflects in our past addresses. We have lived in three different countries, and seven different states over the last ten years, and I think we are just getting started. It has been a little over two years since we moved to Vancouver, and we are already itching to go somewhere new. For a while, we questioned whether something was wrong with us, as we saw many of our friends buy houses and settling down. But now, we have made our peace with it. We are wanderers! All this moving around and traveling has influenced the way I cook. I love cooking with Indian spices, but being a classically trained chef shows up in some of the french cooking techniques I use. I was … [Read more...]
Chickpea Flour Crepes with Summer Berry Marmalade
Some foods, you associate them with feelings. Maybe it reminds you of a special occasion, a certain period of your life, or a special memory you created with someone. I have many such foods and memories associated with my Grandma. One such dish - Puda, a simple savory chickpea crepe - makes me nostalgic. My grandma was my hero in the kitchen. She gave me some of my first cooking lessons - from making a cup of chai tea to baking a perfectly round roti bread. While I learned a lot of traditional Indian recipes from her, the most important lesson I learned was to cook with love and patience. For her, the journey of cooking was as important as the final destination of a meal served on the … [Read more...]
Savory Vegetable Cake
India is a busy place. 1.2 billion people living in a country one third the size of the US makes for a crowded country. The first thing I notice about India every time I go back there is how close everyone stands to each other. Starting from the Immigration and Customs lines at the airport, you can not help avoid an awkward proximity with strangers. If you are still in your "western" mindset and leave too much space between you and the person in front of you, someone might just remind you to move up in the line a bit! India is a country on the move - everyone is rushing to be somewhere! I was used to this hustle and bustle of India while growing up there. My parents would wake up early, and … [Read more...]