Steamed and Healthy Last weekend was my second visit to Niagara Falls and I thought I will not be as impressed with this natural wonder as I was the first time. However, I was so wrong. It was as though I was watching the mighty falls for the first time. I guess that the feeling of awe will never cease no matter how many times I may get an opportunity to visit the Niagara Falls. Its one of my favourite places on this Earth. We took my dad who is visiting Canada for the first time, to Niagara Falls. We booked him into a falls view room and boy was it spectacular. My niece from Atlanta paid us a surprise visit(my son…
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Continue ReadingUpdated on 22/05/2020 While the recipe for Lemon and Lavender Scones remains the same, I’ve updated the information and write up in a more organized fashion. Spread the Fragrance Did you that flowers have been used world wide as a part of cooking? Usage of edible flowers can be traced all the way back to the Roman times. Use of edible flowers became a vogue during the Victorian period usually used to decorate cakes and desserts. Flowers and their extracts are still play a major part in the Middle Eastern, Indian Sub Continent and Chinese cuisine. Flower culinary is fast coming back into ‘fashion’ with high end flowers and fine dining restaurants using fresh flowers right from adding them to starters, soups, salads to main…
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Continue ReadingWhat is Scoville Heat Unit or Index? Time is flying! It’s already nearly the end of the month.End of the month usually means a recipe for the Shhh Cooking Secretly group.This group was started by Priya of Priya’s Versatile Recipes. I, along with Amrita of The Food Samaritan help Priya to run it. Ever since I joined the group in 2014, I’ve enjoyed being a part of it. Lots of changes have taken place, some old members have left, new ones have joined. Back then partners gave each other any two random ingredients, my first one being barley and broccoli. Nowadays we give partners two ingredients according to the decided theme. This month the theme was #stuffed.Though we know all participants will have stuffed…
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Continue ReadingHappy Mother’s Day A few weeks back, I was thinking of my mum and obviously missing her tonnes. I wanted the approaching Mother’s Day to be less painful. Now don’t get me wrong my kids (from 3 now I have 5 🙂 ) all shower me with lots of love. I thought why not get some of my blogger friends to celebrate this day with me. Its amazing how much closer we all have become and most of us poured our hearts out and each ones recipe is somehow, somewhere connected to their mothers. I approached 25 and 19 responded with enthusiasm and sent heartfelt messages. So here’s what each of them shared for Mother’s Day. Mayuri Patel: My mum loved her Gujarati snacks like handvo,…
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Continue ReadingMOTHER’S DAY RECIPE: MUM’S MATAR KACHORI/GUJARATI PEAS KACHORI Mum’s Matar Kachori/Gujarati Peas Kachori is a deep fried snack with a filling of spicy fresh peas in a flaky and crispy pastry. Mum’s matar kachori is so delicious and she made them perfectly. She didn’t use garam masala. Simply spiced with fresh green chilis and ginger with a bit of sugar and lemon juice. Mum’s love is never ending People say that time heals the wound, the pain. But it really doesn’t. One is never too old to need a mum. We all go on with our lives but not a single day goes by when I don’t remember my mum. Missed you tonnes when my children got married, miss you when its Mother’s Day, miss…
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Continue ReadingGUEST NO. 5 ON THE BLOG I’m trying to feature my family and friends on my blog weekly. However, last week I couldn’t feature any guest as I was down with a bad flu and fever. Still getting over the nasty cough, its very persistent. This week my guest is my sister in law Arti (my brother’s wife). When I asked her to write a recipe for the blog, her immediate reaction was ‘ahahhaa that’s not me Mayuriben that is something you do! I don’t measure and cook, I don’t know what to make’ and the excuses kept on coming. I suggested that she should make her famous cranberry pickle but immediately realized that its not cranberry season. (shhh we’ll get her…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Kuzhi Paniyaram | Paddu Kuzhi Paniyaram are round vegan rice lentil balls that are pan fried and enjoyed as breakfast with some chutney. Generally, leftover idli or dosa batter is used up to make these delicious healthy round balls. To make them round a special pan called a paniyaram, appe pan or chatti is used. It is the same as an Aebleskiver pan. Memories The first time I had kuzhi paniyaram was at the Farzi Cafe located in UB City Bangalore. I was so impressed the way it was served, in the typical mini version of the famous Indian trucks or lorries. My daughter and I had ordered that as our starter dish and wow we were impressed. Not only was the dish tasty…
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Continue ReadingVenturing out to try something different Yes, its Monday (so soon) and can you believe it we are into the 6th week of the 2017. Time flies. For our 78th theme on #FoodieMonday #Bloghop we decided to go regional with #RegionalCuisine. As soon as the theme was decided I knew I wanted to try out a cuisine that I’ve never done before. So it had to be the Eastern part of India. I guess having made baked yogurt and rasmalai doesn’t really count. I decided on Litti Chokha from the state of Bihar. Well, some say that its also from Uttar Pradesh. What made me choose Litti Chokha? Two reasons, one being that my son in law is from that state, well now Jharkand which…
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Continue Reading2017 -BEGINNING WITH OBSTACLES Just as the new year began, like everyone we prayed for a peaceful, trouble free and happy year. Well, happy we are as positive things in ours lives make us happy. However, the year hasn’t really begun too well for hubby and me. From the time we left India, we’re facing problems one after the other. First obstacle – I go to my bank in Mumbai to get one of my debit cards activated. Tried it out at an ATM and it worked. Then the tech savvy in charge of cards informs us that our cards have a raised limit. He tinkers on the computer and tells us all is well. We are happy and leave the bank. Next day…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: CHATAKEDAAR CHAAT RECIPE: IDLI CHAAT Idli Chaat is a makeover of leftover idlis. Idlis are fried till crispy. It is a lip smacking,irresistible, gluten free flavourful snack. Chutneys, vegetables, fruits, yogurt all add a medley of flavours. FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP It’s Monday and time to present our FoodieMonday/Bloghop recipe. Our #60th theme is Chatakedaar Chaat. There was much excitement around this theme during the week. Our Whatsapp group was tinging away endlessly. Some knew exactly what they wanted to prepare and some didn’t. I was not sure what I wanted to make till Saturday. I’ve already blogged a few chaat recipes so it was difficult to choose something else. HOW THE IDEA FOR IDLI CHAAT AROSE Friday evening I went to buy an idli…
