Simui-er Payesh...

An easy quick dessert that can be made in a jiffy is always my favorite. Simui-er payesh is one such dessert. A simple sweet dish that is very common in every Indian household. My Sejo-jethima (aunt) used to make the best simui-er payesh. I was and I'm still not fond of sweets. But the simui-er payesh prepared by my aunt was my favorite. She used to serve the payesh in a small bowl along with some perfectly puffed luchi or crispy triangle shaped parathas and a spicy curry. I remember how I used to dip the roti or paratha or luchi into some freshly made simui-er payesh by her. I miss her cooking so much.

Kumror bhorta...

The recipes I share mostly come from seeing my grandmother, mother, and aunts cooking while growing up. Knowingly or unknowingly we absorb the techniques and processes of preparing everyday food watching our elders and with time recreate the familiar taste that we had grown up with. This process of learning never ends. We learn as an adult too. After my marriage I learnt a lot from my mother-in-law, who's an excellent cook. Then there are friends and neighbors, with whom we share food and recipes. Along with cookery shows, magazines, luring us with tempting food photos and recipes. And not to forget about the vast ocean of information available to us now-a-days , the internet. Where we can learn almost anything, if interested and willing to, be it cooking or film making. Being foodies we simply soak up everything about good food. 

Spicy stir fried prawn...

 

Who doesn't love a quick recipe? I always prefer a quick delicious dish for a weeknight dinner. And I choose fish or seafood for that, as the cooking time is much less compared to other proteins. Last week I tried this quick, easy, ready in a jiffy spicy stir fried prawns to go with some steamed rice. The spicy prawns were perfect to go with both stir fried noodles and plain rice.

Homemade curd...

 

Having homemade curd (dahi or doi) with our meal is a common practice. I  set curd every alternate day, it's a routine in my household. I have seen my grandmother, mother, aunts doing it and I do it too. Use of curd in Indian cuisine stretches back to the ancient Vedic times. Our cuisine may be diverse but when it comes to curd or yogurt every single cuisine uses it, be it in making the gravy for the curry or a dessert or as a dip or serving at the end of the meal. The naturally fermented curd is so very healthy and good for the gut, so I insist that my family members have their share of this probiotic goodness everyday.

Idli..

What's for breakfast? This is the first thing that comes to my mind when I open my eyes in the morning. Still not completely awake, wanting to spend a little more time curled up, my routine-following brain whispers to me telling me to leave the comfort of my bed while the lazy side of me wants to relax a little bit more to enjoy the warmth of the bed . Then finally the alarm beeps and I have no option but to get up. And again it strikes me, what's for breakfast?

Sugar free date walnut cake

Hi, I'm back after a hiatus. I took quite a long break from blogging and social media. During this time I have cooked a lot new dishes, dug deep into bread making and even managed to raise my first batch of sourdough starter, yet somehow I lacked the energy and enthusiasm to share it on social media. But during this worldwide Covid-scare and lockdown restrictions I felt an urge to connect with others and share my thoughts.

Pan seared fish with spicy coriander pesto...

We all need quick easy recipes for weekdays meal. Specially in hot and humid country like ours, spending long hours preparing and elaborate cooking is really stressful. Here is one such easy recipe that can be a instant hit. I had some bhetki or betki fish in the freezer and was not sure what to prepare with that.