Green Beans and Potato Curry

I love the smell of fresh green beans and small potatoes that reminds me a taste of winter in India. Ma used to make a simple curry with fresh young green beans and new potatoes often in winter months. This simple curry is very light, delicious and vegan that pairs perfectly with roti(hand made flat bread). I often make this comfort curry because I get these veggies all year round in my part of the world. All essential ingredients are just fridge and pantry staples. 

Malai Kofta

Malai Kofta is a very famous North Indian savory fried cheese dish either sphere or cylindrical shaped, dunked in a rich, velvety and creamy gravy. This is a tomato, onion-ginger-garlic, cashew paste and some flavorful ground spices based gravy and finished off with dairy cream and dried kashuri methi leaves and garam mashala.

Veggie Pizza

Pizza is sometimes weeknight or weekend treat in our family. We all love it and I like to make it from scratch. It's easy yet time consuming. But it's worth making it at home because I make the dough using half whole wheat flour instead of all white flour. It's healthy and delicious without compromising on taste.

Pizza Dough

Pizza, a yeasted flat bread topped with tomato sauce, shredded cheese, veggies or meat and baked in a super hot oven till golden brown, was a great invention by Italians. Gennaro Lombardi, an Italian immigrant from Naples(the birth place of pizza) opened America's first Pizzeria in New York city in 1905. It remains extremely popular comfort food till now.

Pandit Style Lamb Rogan Josh

Rogan josh brings out one of the best mutton dishes of Indian cuisine! Authentic Kashmiri Rogan Josh is cooked in a thin red gravy with dry spices and a thick layer of oil on top. This aromatic lamb curry of Persian origin brought by Mughals to Kashmir. The vibrant red color of this dish is from Kashmiri chili and ratanjot (alkanet root) grown in Jammu and Kashmir valley of India.  

Silva's Peyaju

Peyaju/Red Lentil and Onion Fritters is the traditional Bangladeshi snacks and it is absolutely to die for. Soaked and coarsely blended lentil batter mixed with julienned onion and chopped fresh chili, cilantro, turmeric and salt, then fried up until crispy. When craving occurs for something crunchy Piyaju is one of the tastiest to savor. It is great for parties and holiday gatherings. But I love Piyaju irrespective of any occasions with a hot cup of tea of coffee and with bowl of moori(puffed rice) on the side.

Dimer Jhol/ Bengali Egg Curry

Ma used to make this curry with duck eggs and potatoes for an easy protein dish with few pantry ingredients if fish was not available. It brings back a lot of memories indeed. She would add chopped tomatoes and fresh green peas in winter months. Slowly sauteed onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes and spices on low flame delivers the best flavor and textured gravy to this curry which is perfect to savor with plain rice or roti/flat bread and cucumber-onion salad on the side.

Chanar Dalna

Chanar Dalna is a Bengali version slightly sweet fried Indian cheese balls or square pieces curry along with diced potato simmered in a gravy called dalna which is basically made by tempering some whole  spices followed by a simple gravy made with ginger paste, tomato, cumin and coriander powder. The Chana balls or pieces are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The curry is mildly spiced and sweet with thin gravy. No onion and garlic are used in Dalna. Adding ghee and Bengali Garam Moshla at the end brings a  Satvik taste to this dish. It's is a very special dish during any Hindu ritual.

Spanish Caramel Flan

Spanish Caramel Flan is so popular dessert all over the world. This sweet is a creamy custard with eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar baked in a water bath for smoother and creamier texture. All you need to give the custard several hours to set in the fridge. It's a quick and elegant dessert to impress family and friends.

Bastani Sonnati/Persian Ice Cream

Bastani Sonnati, a simple Iranian traditional ice cream also known  as Persian ice cream. It is made from milk, sugar, rose water, saffron, and pistachios. We had this ice cream at an Iranian restaurant and the sever explained how easy it was to make with just a few ingredients at home.   

Doi Bora/Dahi Vada & Dahi Bhalle

Doi Bora/Dahi Vada, a famous Indian street food categorized as "chaat" served as cold for snacking or just as a meal. This lip-smacking colorful delicacy with lentil fritters soaked in whisked seasoned yogurt and sweet n sour tamarind chutney and topped with sev/gram flour fritters available across India and abroad.