Recipe: Banana Cucumber Raita Banana Cucumber Raita is a flavourful and cooling side dish which is a little sweetish and tangy too. Enjoy it with biryani or on its own as a salad. What is a Raita? Raita is a yogurt based dish which is usually served as an accompaniment to a main dish. Usually, raitas are made using vegetables like bottle gourd, radish, cucumber, beetroot and fruits like banana, pomegranate, grapes, pineapple, etc. However, that does not mean a raita is limited to those ingredients. These days there are so many different types of raita that are prepared. In fact, the most common raita you will find served with biryanis and pulao is a boondi raita or onion raita. Boondi is fried little pearl…
-
Continue ReadingEvent: Father’s Day Recipe: Vatidar Na Bhajia/ Dal Bhajia What is Vatidar Na Bhajia/ Dal Bhajia? Well, first of all vatidar means ground dal or dar. Dal is the Hindi word for pulses and dar is the Gujarati word. Bhajia are fritters, deep fried in oil. Vatidar na Bhajia is basically bhajia or fritters made from coarsely ground dals or pulses. Vatidar Na Bhajia/ Dal Bhajia is a Coastal Speciality A visit to Mombasa is not complete if you have not had the famous vatidar na bhajia. Every coffee shop, fast food restaurant will serve these famous bhajias. In the evenings, women sit at corners or near their home preparing these hot snacks for hungry passersby. During our visit to Mombasa, a visit to the…
-
Continue ReadingFresh Pineapple Salsa Fresh Pineapple Salsa is a delicious combination of sweet and tangy ingredients with a bit of spiciness. Can be served with any Mexican Dish, as a starter with chips or simply enjoy it on its own as a salad. What is a Salsa? Technically, a salsa is a sauce made with cooked ingredients, the most common being tomato, onion, cilantro, chilis and lemon juice. Salsa Fresca is a fresh sauce. No cooking takes place for the Salsa Fresca. The ingredients are chopped and mixed together. Usually enjoyed with some tortilla chips or on its own as a starter or a salad. This Pineapple Salsa is actually a Salsa Fresca. Memories I’ve got to thank my daughter for this recipe. I’d barely begun…
-
Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIES_ REDOING OLD POSTS #49 RECIPE: LETTUCE CUPS/ LETTUCE WRAPS What are Lettuce Cups/ Lettuce Wraps? Fresh, crunchy, sweet, just enough saltiness, tangy, a wee bit chilli, aromatic. Wondering if I am practising my adjectives? Well, you would too if you had these delicious lettuce cups/ lettuce wraps. Lettuce Cups/ Lettuce Wraps is a great recipe when entertaining. Guests can build up their own lettuce cups or wraps with different fillings. Basically, lettuce leaves are served topped with a dry filling and served with sauces. The lettuce cups or wraps make a healthier option to sandwiches with bread. However, initially they were served as a starter or appetizer mostly at Chinese Restaurants. These days lettuce cups or wraps have taken on different avatars. One…
-
Continue ReadingRecipe: Mexican Salad Mexican Salad is a great, healthy salad with flavours from Mexican staples like beans, corn, cilantro, tomato and spices. Enjoy it as a light meal. Or take it for picnics and enjoy with tortilla chips on the side. Go ahead and add some avocado if you want to. Here, I have made a fresh tomato puree dressing to add flavour and tang. You can add any dressing of your choice. Salads Writing about the virtues of a salad is just not enough. You have got to make it and serve it to believe it. Besides providing you with all the healthy nutrients, It is a tummy filler. Enjoy a salad before your main meal. It helps to fill your tummy and therefore…
-
Continue ReadingRecipe: Avocado Beetroot Salad Avocado Beetroot Salad is a colourful, easy to make, delicious, vegan, gluten free, healthy and filling salad. If I have so many adjectives in the first sentence then this salad must be finger licking good, right?? It definitely is for me as I two of my favourites together – avocado and beetroot. Memories In India avocado is sold as butter fruit. When I was living in Bangalore, during my first visit to the vegetable shop, I had a tough time asking for avocado. The poor guy just didn’t understand what I wanted. He just shrugged his shoulders and helped me with my basket to the till. In other words he was perhaps trying to tell me ‘please ma’am just leave the…
-
Continue ReadingSpicy Cucumber Carrot Salad Spicy Cucumber Carrot Salad is a healthy, slightly spicy and refreshing salad to enjoy as a starter, a light meal or as a side dish. The Tamarind Dressing is adds different flavors to the salad. Summer and Salad As you probably already know, I live in a place, that does not have the four seasons. Its either hot or the rainy season in Kenya throughout the year. While Nairobi and the Upland area does have dips in temperatures, Mombasa is practically hot throughout the year. As a result, this allows us to enjoy salads as a light meal more often. Especially when it becomes extremely humid and hot, salads are all I can think of putting together. Working for longer time…
-
Continue ReadingEVENT: MY FIRST RECIPE ON THE BLOG With much excitement and a little nervousness here’s my first recipe, Beetroot Orange Salad. Most people make new year resolutions and the commonest one is to become healthy, get healthier or lose some weight. Whatever the resolution might be, I thought that starting on a healthy note is befitting. In order to get the post started, sat at computer wondering how to begin. Then I realized taking a tiny step is the best. Hence, a simple recipe. MY BLOGGING JOURNEY It has been a tough journey. However, I’m not complaining as I’ve made so many blogger friends, my photography has improved, my writing skills too are honed. Along the way I have also learned that I really don’t…
