What’s special about this cake? Not just that it is for a cute little munchkin, a friend’s kid who loves Elmo. This is my first vanilla-flavored birthday cake. I was able to decorate it with no synthetic food colors, just homemade plant-based colors!  Using natural colors was not a criterion, but I wanted to
Read more

  Angie @ the Novice Gardener, this is for you! At last week’s Fiesta Friday party, she brought up this topic of making ghee. I thought I would post this basic recipe for making ghee at home, something that most Indian households do on a regular basis. Sharing this aromatic, heavenly liquid at this week’s
Read more

A guest-post from my mom. Yes, I’m sharing a “secret” family recipe! My mother’s famous mixed vegetable pickle, very much loved by my family and all my friends. When she was here this summer, she made some of this finger-licking magic pickle and I promptly noted down the recipe. It is surprisingly very simple! South-Indian
Read more

  One more green tomato recipe as I try to clear my kitchen counter and use up all the green tomatoes from the garden…a creamy and delicious chutney to go with dosa or even your favorite tortilla chips. Taking this to our party, Fiesta Friday #40 over at Angie’s blog. Thank you, Jhuls and Margy
Read more

  While everyone is posting dishes with pumpkins at this time of the year, I have a different fruit that is taking up too much space on my kitchen counter. Yes, with the arrival of Mr. Jack Frost, I had to pluck all the tomatoes while they were green. Time for recipes with the sour
Read more

  A sweet recipe for this Diwali! An almond  burfi with chocolate flavor. I will not pretend that this is super healthy, it is loaded with sugar! But I just added my twists- 1. I used raw sugar, and 2. used the almonds with the skin intact, that will retain fiber. Since the burfi would
Read more

  Yes, I cannot believe that this blog has officially completed one year, and what a journey it has been! I wanted to combine it with the Fiesta Friday #38  party this week to celebrate! Thank you Angie, Hilda and Julianna for hosting! I will finish the confession part first, I know you want to hear
Read more

  Deepavali/ ‘Diwali’ or the Festival of Lights is less than a week away! In many Indian homes, preparations of sweets and savories have begun. Since the kids are at home for Fall break this week, I decided to begin early, to work out some easy and healthier version of a snack. I do not
Read more

  This is another rare soup made with herbs from the heart of South India. ‘Thippili’ is the Tamil word for Indian/Indonesian long pepper, an ayurvedic medicinal plant with therapeutic properties. In fact, as I just learned from Wikipedia, the etymology is the other way around. The word ‘Pepper’ has its origin from the Tamil/Malayalam
Read more

  It’s friday and Fiesta Friday 37, the virtual party has started in Angie’s place. I’m glad I’m not late this week, I have something to bring today! Something simple, exotic and delicious. Even those who hate beets will love this salad. Thank you, Angie and co-hosts, Julianna and Hilda for this week’s party. I hope you
Read more