Homemade Biryani Masala

I love making homemade masalas (of course not always) and as they say homemade is definitely the BEST! Fresh, aromatic and so full of Indian-ness! Make it and use it and you’ll have a new flavor in life and in your food. Even if you regularly use the store-bought version, you will mark the noticeable difference in flavor with this fresh homemade masala. The best part is that it is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you have not been doing it for all these years. Mom always used to grind fresh masalas on her sil-patti (stone-block). Over time, the stone block was replaced by the more convenient electric mixer/grinder, the masala and the lip-smacking taste remained unchanged. The biryani masala is one such example which is one of my favorites. In fact I never quite like the store bought one as I always feel something off about them. So here is another one of my most favorite ones and stay tuned for more.

Here's a little tip- I always try to make small quantities as and when needed. Fresh-made, that's when the masala blends are the most fragrant. For grinding small quantities, I always use my coffee grinder.

Read more »

Homemade Bagels with Jalapeno Cream Cheese spread

This is another one in the line of my attempts to recreate at home a commonly available preparation that I thought for the longest time nearly impossible or at least too difficult to create at home. The humble bagel definitely proved to me it sure is a little tricky and requires attention to detail to get the best result. I speak from experience. The first time I tried it, it got too chewy and tough. After much I though I figured out where I was going wrong. To get the right taste and texture, you have to be very mindful of how long you boil the dough, the right pinch of baking soda and finally baking it just right. Once you get it how you want it, and not to mention with the easy-to-put-together but outta this world jalapeno spread, a fresh out of the oven hot bagel with a spicy spread will be close to if not the best kind of bread you ever had.

Read more »

Quick Pickled Jalapenos

Yesterday I was at our local farmer's market. They have the most beautiful and colorful stuff all around. I go crazy around all the fresh produce they have. The sight, the smell, just too good to resist. I began picking all different kinds of vegetables. The pretty one... the colorful one... the new kind (which I had no idea what to do with) whatever I could get my hands on. Hubs was watching from a distance waiting with the kiddo, pretending to not know the crazy lady raiding all the vegetables ha ha. I love my trips to the local farmer's market for our regular quota of vegetables and fruit. There’s always an excitement waiting to see what produce has arrived. Every season seems to bring some new variety of vegetable and fruit. Lot of new varieties, kinds that was never familiar to me growing up. Nowadays, I take a lot of them for granted because they are easily available.
For those who are not very familiar with Jalapenos, they are thick skinned and a moderately hot variety of Mexican green chillies. A smoked and dried Jalapeno is called Chipotle.
Pickle or achaar to me as like every fellow Indian is the tangy, hot thick raw, mango/ chilli pieces drained in hot spices infused oil and oh so mouthwatering. I have had my share of pickles (the pickle monster as I was named by my mom). Though, for the most part, I detest vinegar based western style pickle, but this one I absolutely love, I keep buying a jar whenever I visit the supermarket and eating like a side not a condiment much to my hubs surprise. That was until yesterday when I saw these fresh, beautiful (and to my pleasant surprise, so very inexpensive) peppers yesterday in the market. The idea to pickle them was instant and I am glad I did. These can jazz up any boring meal - nachos or tacos, wraps or sandwiches, pizza - just about anything! To top it all, it takes just about 15 minutes to put it together (of course beside the couple of days in the fridge for the pickling process). If you are a fan as big as I am of tangy and hot stuff, trust me, this pickle is absolutely addictive.

Read more »

English Muffins!

Another ode to my love for bread. As much as I love eating different kinds, I love making them too. Take a look at the 'Breads' category and you will know what I mean. Talk about some serious bragging rights. Bread baking for me is almost therapeutic. The kneading is the best part (if you are mad at someone, this is the best way to calm yourself down. Yes, it works every time for me... lol). To be able to get out a loaf of delicious bread from a few everyday ingredients is a wonder - not to mention the smell of fresh baked bread that fills the house. The excitement to see the dough rise and then finally cut into it and see how perfect it came out... aah it is almost a high for me (I know I know this is probably the hundredth time I am writing this)... but its true :)
The english muffin got my curiosity only recently. It is not something that is commonly known in India. That one day when hubs got it for us at the mall food court I have wanted to make it ever since and am proud to declare they came out really good.
With some butter or jam spread, they are perfect for a quick breakfast and can even be quickly made into a burger for a light lunch. Whats more is that you do not need and oven to make them, they can be made right on your stove top in a regular pan. I had a batch ready when my little one got back from school all exhausted and hungry. She ate a couple before even getting her shoes off and invented a new kind of sandwich while she was at it, english muffins with cheddar slice and butter!

Read more »

Homemade Tandoori Masala

You might have heard of the phrase 'the secret sauce'. For Indian cooking the equivalent phrase could very well be 'the secret masala blend'.
If I have to choose among my most favorite masala blends, it sure will be a close one between 'Tandoori masala' and 'Garam masala' - they are both absolute must-haves in my pantry! Whether you grew up eating tandoori chicken at your local restaurant or you just tasted a bite of it because someone took you along to an Indian restaurant and got completely bowled over, or anywhere in between, you would know tandoori is one of the most loved flavors in Indian dishes. And let me let you in on a secret, this is the spice blend (read: magic) behind all those lip smacking tandoori and tikka treats!

I love making homemade masalas (of course not always) but as they say homemade is definitely the BEST! Fresh, aromatic and so full of Indian-ness! Make it and use it and you’ll have a new flavor in life and in your food. Even if you regularly use the store-bought version, you will mark the noticeable difference in flavor with this fresh homemade masala. The best part is that it is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you have not been doing it for all these years. Mom always used to grind fresh masalas on her sil-patti (stone-block). Over time, the stone block was replaced by the more convenient electric mixer/grinder, the masala and the lip-smacking taste remained unchanged.
Recently I have had quite a few requests from my readers for recipes of homemade masala blends. So here is one of my most favorite ones and stay tuned for more.

Here's a little tip- I always try to make small quantities as and when needed. Fresh-made, that's when the masala blends are the most fragrant. For grinding small quantities, I always use my coffee grinder.

Read more »

Paneer

n popular demand in the form of a number of queries via comments and several emails, here I am with my very own recipe for Paneer. This should not come as a surprise as I believe I have made myself a reputation of sorts for my love of Paneer through the numerous paneer based dishes on my site. The idea of making any basic ingredient for me is exhilarating. It is such a rewarding and stress relieving experience. With my love for paneer, making my own has a special place in my heart and my kitchen. It is one of those beautiful things which you never really know until you actually do it.

Read more »

Homemade Granola and Granola Trifle

runchy and nutty, fruity and filling, Granola is my "do not feel guilty after snacking" snack. I keep a big jar of it on the counter at all times for those late afternoon hunger pangs :)

There is no set recipe for granola besides a few basic components that are - rolled grains like oats, nuts and seeds, oil, spices, sweetener. Their homemade version is always the best as they can be easily customized to your personal preference. You can control the amount and type of sugar and oil, add your favorite nuts and choose your own grains. It works even better for those of us who have certain food allergies as you can rest assured of the contents of your snack. Granola has a good shelf life so you can make enough in advance to see you through for a few days or even weeks, not to mention it ends up being a lot cheaper too compared to buying from the store.

I always thought granola would be a bit a little tricky to make. But I soon found to my pleasant surprise they’re really not. It took me under an hour from start to finish, the hardest part being chopping the nuts (which you can simplify by getting the chopped ones from the store :)  Simply mix everything, boil some syrup mix both together in a big bowl and pour them into a baking dish. Done!

I can munch on fistfuls of this fabulous snack but one of my favorite ways to eat this is also as a Trifle. I cannot think of a better way to start the day than with a bowl of fresh fruit and berries and plain greek yogurt topped with homemade granola.

Read more »

Ghee - from homemade Butter

larified butter or ghee is used extensively in India and other South Asian cuisines. Also, practically any Hindu religious ritual is incomplete without the use of ghee. It has a lovely rich and nutty flavor, and enhances the flavor and taste of anything that it is added to. Ghee, as the English version of its name 'clarified-butter' suggests, is prepared from butter. How is butter made? Well, from cream; and cream is made from milk. In this post, I pick it up from store-bought cream and make my own butter and then turn it magically into ghee! You can choose to pick up directly from butter or if you are a little more adventurous than me (like my mom is), then you might as well pick up from milk and gather your own cream. Back in India my mom always prepares Ghee from scratch. She used to collect the cream daily off the milk brought by the doodhwallahs/door-to-door milk vendors, until the container with cream was full and ready to be made into Ghee.

The process behind it is quite magical (scientific for those who understand how these things work chemically). As you churn it with a whisk, cream which otherwise is a runny liquid, changes to a frothy texture. This happens rather quickly, what we popularly know as whipped cream. Now if you be patient and keep at it, after enough whisking, the buttermilk separates from the cream and behold you have butter!

Unsalted butter is slowly brought to a boil upon which the milk solids separate from the clarified butter.

Read more »

Basic White Bread

Within the last few months I have baked (and posted) several types of breads and bread based recipes (garlic buns, stuffed buns, braided bread, dinner rolls, pizzas, flat breads like naan etc) and each time around I have expressed my love for Mr. Yeast. The basic white bread however had been my nemesis. I had tried it a couple of times before and it turned out okay but the perfectionist in me was never satisfied. They bread looked okay and tasted good but I knew something was missing. Texturally it was not quite there as the professionally made ones.
Bread baking for me is almost therapeutic. The kneading is the best part (if you are mad at someone, this is the best way to calm yourself down. Yes, it works every time for me... lol). To be able to get out a loaf of delicious bread from a few ingredients is a wonder - not to mention the smell of fresh baked bread that fills the house. The excitement to see the dough rise and then finally cut into it and see how perfect it came out... aah it is almost a high for me (I know I know this is probably the hundredth time I am writing this)... but its true :)

Read more »