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This is an instant biryani version. With less spices & ingredients the biryani can be prepared within 25 minutes. Mushrooms need very less time to get cooked and hence this recipe comes handy on busy weekdays. I used button mushrooms. Also I added only onion,tomato along with mushrooms. Didn’t want to add too much of veggies. I truely wanted mushroom to be the hero of this dish. You can serve this biryani with raita or any other gravy of your choice. I prepared strawberry raita. It tasted delicious. The tangy,sour raita with spicy biryani made an awesome combo. Do try…

Our dinners are usually Roti with a simple sabzi or sometimes I go the South Indian way and prepare Upma/Dosai. Its June and is supposed to be the start of Summer season here in UK. But the weather has been crazily cold for the past few days. All we crave is spicy, greasy foods. Yesterday night I prepared this spicy Tawa Pulao for dinner and it turned about absolutely delicious. I served it with Yogurt and crisps. The authentic street food version is prepared directly on the hot Tawa and the addition of Pav Bhaji masala takes this Pulao to…

Halloumi – A variety of Cheese that is believed to be originated in Cyprus. It is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking and is popular in many western countries as well. The cheese is produced from Cow’s,Sheep’s and Goat’s Milk. When compared to other cheese varieties I find this cheese a bit extra salty and hence while cooking adjust the quantity of salt accordingly. Few months back when we had our lunch at a restaurant, we tasted Halloumi Skewers for the first time. Loved it totally and since then its been on my monthly grocery list. I usually pan fry…

Dal is an Indian dish prepared using various Legumes or Pulses. This protein rich, vegan dish can be served as an accompaniment to Rice or any type of Flat Breads. I have used Brown Lentils (whole masoor dal). However you could substitute it with canned Chick Peas, Kidney Beans or any other legumes. While serving the dal, you could also add a tbsp. of Butter to enhance the flavor. If you would like a more soupy consistency then add extra water accordingly. Since I was serving it with Rice I added less water to get creamy consistency. 

On a Friday night I was wondering what to make for dinner. Then this idea popped up. Prepared a quick tikki with Potatoes and paneer,served with a simple home made green chutney, store bought Imli(tamarind) Chutney and a salad. It was a satisfying meal and a perfect start for the weekend. Instead of Paneer you could add Tofu too. Since these tikkis are shallow fried they didn’t consume too much oil too. The following measurement yields upto 12-15 medium sized tikkis


Sandwiches are our go-to Breakfast. Its easy, less complicated and there is no chance of messing it up. I use different types of fillings for my sandwich. Avocados,leftover paneer or mushroom masala, sometimes I even use tomato gojju (southindian style onion+tomato based side dish) as a base for the sandwich. However this green chutney sandwich is our personal favorite. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and then 5 minutes on the griller. Within 15 minutes you can make a filling breakfast. The sandwiches can be paired with a glass of fresh orange juice,smoothies or Tea to make it a wholesome meal. Sandwiches are perfect for kids lunch box and during travels too.

Lassi is one of the most popular Punjabi drinks that can be prepared in two ways. Either salt or sweet. Papaya lassi is a sweet version and a great alternative to the usual Mango Lassi. This tropical fruit is loaded with antioxidants, rich in Vitamin C and fiber. It has various health benefits like lowering cholesterol, boosting immunity and is good for maintaining blood sugar levels too.

Happy Holi dear readers.

Dhoodh Peda (Milk Peda) is an Indian fudge sweet that is prepared during festivals and celebrations. During my first family trip to Shirdi, I tasted these dhoodh pedas for the first time and was totally mindblown. So flavorful, melt in mouth texture and I couldn’t stop myself from eating it. My aunt who has lived in Pune, told me that Peda/Pedha was so popular there and her neighbours used to distribute it on all important occasions and during joyous moments in their family. This is the reason why I love our Indian Food so much. Each and every recipe has a story behind it. Each and every region has unique food culture and it is always exciting to know more about them. I so wanted to try the traditional elaborate peda recipe sometime. Let see 🙂

On this occasion of Holi, sharing the instant version using Milk Powder (instead of Khoya) and condensed milk. The addition of dark cocoa powder gives a beautiful brown color, chocolate flavor to the pedas. The following measurement serves 25 small sized peda. Adjust the measurements according to your need. If you try this version do let me know your feedback.

The word ‘Holi’ reminds us the beginning of spring, beautiful colors, fun filled moments with friends& family, last but not least the food & drinks. Though this festival was originally celebrated in India, now this is being celebrated in many parts of United Kingdom,Europe & other parts of the globe

Tofu is my new found love. Being a vegetarian I am always in search for a good protein source to include in my day to day meal. Earlier Paneer was only used widely in preparing gravies and side dishes. Nowadays I have included Tofu in salads, prepared gravy and have used in various recipes. It taste