Rava Kesari

Rava kesari is a sweet dish made out of semolina. It is very popular as a prashad offering to the god. The beautiful texture, colour and vibrancy in the dish are a delight to both the eyes and the palette.

Almonds

For all the health freaks out there, we have a boon. God’s prized gift amongst the treasure trove of health foods – Almonds. Lucky for us, it doesn’t taste bitter or weird but in fact tastes yummilicious especially roasted. I believe nobody will dare deny it!!

Chicken Pulao

It fills me with joy, when I smell the tantalizing aroma of chicken pulao filling the kitchen, wafting throughout the house making everybody peep into the kitchen with a broad smile and expectant faces.

Coconut Chutney

A unique accompaniment for the south Indian tiffin’s idly, dosa is the coconut chutney. It tastes absolutely divine when made with fresh coconut and served alongside steaming hot dosas or idlys. This is the same chutney we find at most hotels. I vouch for it that it tastes nothing less in comparison. Surprise your family with this simple yet mouthwatering chutney.

Caramelized Pineapple Upside Down Cake

My idea of celebrating monsoons is eating hot just out of the oven food with a cup of tea. This idea of mine was realized when I made this amazing pineapple upside down cake. My whole family relished on it. This recipe although looks complex, it’s quite simple and it’s hard to fail with this one. Even with the fancy name ultimately, it’s just a sponge cake with caramelized pineapple on top. The upside down cakes existed since the middle ages, then traditionally made on a cast- iron skillet but, the use of pineapple in it started in the beginning of 1900’s.

Omelette Muffins

I’m always on the lookout for quick, healthy and of course tasty recipes especially for those picky eaters in the family. Welcome to the world of these make ahead omelette muffins. You can stuff all the veggies you want and I wager no one will protest such is the goodness of this recipe. It can be made in a whisk which I am sure is a huge comfort to all you busy people out there.

I came across these some time ago on one of my random food browsing sagas and since then saw so many versions that  I’m not even sure where I adapted the recipe from anymore, because I’ve added way too many tweaks and changes.

Creamy Foamy Hot Coffee

I believe waking up to a steaming cup of hot coffee is one of the best feelings in the world, gearing us up for a tedious day ahead. If you like coffee, then you will love this recipe. This coffee recipe is a lovely accident of mine. It happened when I accidentally dropped some water into the cup containing coffee and sugar granules. Then I started fiddling with it. To my surprise, I found the colour changing and the texture turning smooth. The beating of the coffee and sugar granules together is the trick of this recipe. The incorporating of air through continuous stirring gives it a creamy consistency even with low fat milk.

Flax Seeds

I first got to know about these tiny little seeds about 2 years ago, when I was in the U.S. You could find a whole section dedicated to flax in the supermarkets with flax meal, flax cereals and what not. That’s when I did my little research and understood the marvels of these seeds. Flax seeds are considered the wonder food of the age. There is a growing popularity for these seeds in all over the world and why not when it has such notable nutritious powers in its bag. It helps cut down cholesterol, aids dieters in curbing hunger when taken in between meals and when both the above points are taken into consideration it ultimately assists in weight reduction. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed that’s been around for centuries. Oh and by the way, I can definitely guarantee the cholesterol reduction part as my dad is a walking testament for it. His otherwise abnormal cholesterol levels got back to normal in just 4 months with regular intake of flax meal and no omega-3 supplement pills!!

Chicken Curry - Andhra Style

This recipe is my mother-in- law’s and it tastes absolutely delectable. I like it for the fact that it has an exquisite taste even with the minimal number of ingredients used. The poppy seed paste adds its special charm to the chicken curry. It tastes too good when served with simple plain rice or even with pulao of any kind.

Spinach Dal

This is almost a staple in the Telugu house-holds. The tempering of ghee adds such delicateness to this dish that I would suggest don’t skimp on it just for the calories. You will be missing out on a lot! The awesomeness of this dish also lies in the fact that it’s so quick to cook. Finished just in a jiffy. Bachelors, get happy. Put it on the stove, do your work, whoop and don’t forget to turn it off. There you go and your dinner is ready!!

Mango Mousse

My brother-in-law is home for holidays and I wanted to treat him to a nice dessert. I decided on making mango mousse for two reasons - mangoes are the fruit of the season and he loves mangoes more than anything else..!!! 

Mocha Frappe Shake

This is the season of blazing heat and scorching sun and the best advice you would get from anybody is to keep yourself hydrated as much as possible. And  my idea of beating the heat is the yummy Mocha Frappe shake , the kind you will taste in the coffee shops. But, this one is definitely much healthier.

Basil Seeds

Many of us know sweet basil seeds as falooda seeds aka sabja ginjelu. I am writing this post in order to share the amazing properties of these seeds. In India, these seeds have been used extensively by our previous generations and are still used, but somewhat less. You can still find them in the famous falooda drink. These seeds are tasteless and thus can be added to give substance to any drink.

Watermelon Cucumber Lemonade

Watermelon is my all time favourite fruit and I am so glad its available throughout the year now. Now that its summer time, I am on a binge of writing recipes that bring your body heat down. What better way to do it, than with this refreshing drink comprising of watermelon, cucumber and lemon.