Spicy Chilli Potatoes

             

Hello Friends..... I hope you all are doing good. As we all know the summer season is here and along with that, all our kids are at home due to the summer vacation. It's always good to involve our kids in our day-to-day activities. All year round they are so busy with their studies and extra-curricular activities that it's hard to make them involved in the household chores.

Whether it's cleaning, dusting, cooking or washing make them involved. They can do their own bit and will learn gradually. My 3 year old loves to help me in the kitchen. Today, in this post I'll be sharing the recipe of Spicy Chilli Potatoes.

This recipe of Spicy Chilli Potato is extra special for me because I have made this recipe along with my 3-year-old son. He has helped me from peeling the potatoes, onions, garlic to adding the sauces in the dish. This is a very simple recipe which can be made in a jiffy.

You can also make this dish if you have any guests at your home and can earn some brownie points.

So, without any further ado let's begin with the recipe:

Instant Poha Uttapam

           

We all love South Indian Breakfast recipes, there are multiple options available starting from Idli, Dosa, Sambhar Vada, Panniyaram and the list goes on and on. Today in this post I'm going to share one more very common breakfast recipe and i.e. Uttapam.

One thing I love about South Indian cuisine is that it's very healthy and uses minimal oil. You can feed these dishes to babies, aged persons and even to the people on diet. I have already shared some of the delicacies from South Indian Breakfast recipes like

• Soft and Spongy Idli
• Suji Appe/ Paniyaram

Click the names and you'll be redirected to the posts.

Uttapams are South Indian breakfast recipe made with rice, lentil and topped with veggies. These are generally served with coconut chutney and sambhar. Generally, Uttapams are prepared from the leftover Dosa batter and toppings are added to balance the sourness of the batter. Personally, I like to make my Uttapams very colorful so I try to add different veggies which make the Uttapam not only colorful but gives it a nice texture too.

The traditional approach of making Uttapams is very tedious and time-consuming too. So, here I'm sharing a quick and instant recipe of Poha Uttapam. Apart from using Poha or flattened rice, we will also require Suji or Semolina and Curd/Yogurt. You can top the Uttapam with any veggies of your choice. Here I have used onion, capsicum, carrot and coriander leaves.

So, without any further ado let's begin with the recipe:

Bread Rasmalai

              

Hello Peeps......Hope you're having an amazing time with all the festivities knocking at our doorsteps. I know you all are busy in cleaning your home, planning and shopping for Diwali decor items and preparing Diwali snacks. 

As we all are so much busy into Diwali preparations cooking should be make easy and real quick so that we can feed our family with healthy and homemade goodies. Not only family but our friends and neighbors too after all they're our extended family members. 

We're sharing some amazing and quick Diwali recipes which are very easy to prepare and taste amazing too. To continue that series we have come up with the recipe of Bread Rasmalai or Bread Rasmalai.

Bread Rasmalai is very easy to prepare and taste real good. You just need to prepare the Rabri; you can prepare that beforehand and assemble it when you want to serve it. 

So, let's begin with the recipe:

Coconut Ladoo/ Nariyal Ladoo........Instant Diwali Desserts

            

Hello my Foodie Friends......hope you all are enjoying the festive season and must be busy in shopping, travelling, eating, cleaning etc etc etc. Navratri and Kojagari Lakshmi Pooja is over and hope you have enjoyed it thoroughly. Festive season fills us with good vibes and energy. 

Now it's time for another major festival and i.e. Diwali. I know you all are busy in cleaning your home, planning and shopping for Diwali decor items and preparing Diwali snacks. While we're so much into Diwali cleaning and planning, it's obvious that cooking takes a side track and we then switch to store bought sweets and snacks.

To solve this issue we have come up with instant Diwali desserts and snacks so keep an eye on this space. So, the first recipe in this series is Instant Coconut Ladoo or Nariyal Ladoo which is very easy to prepare and takes very less time.

Nariyal Ladoo or Coconut Ladoo don't need any introduction in Indian households. It is usually made during the festivals especially during the Durga Puja/ Diwali/ Lokkhi Pujo/  Lakshmi Puja. As the name suggests it is made up of Coconut, Milk, Sugar and Cardamom to add some flavor to the Ladoo.

The Ladoos are of two kinds one made with Jaggery or Gur and are deep brown in color and the other made with Sugar and are pristine white in color. My personal liking is the later one (the one made with Sugar) and that is what I am sharing with you all.

So, let's begin with the recipe:

Instant Rava Dhokla

           

Hello Peeps....hope you all are doing great. We all know the importance of having breakfast daily but still there are many people who are always in a hurry every morning and they often skip their breakfast or have it in hurry. 

 The truth is that we should never skip our breakfast and should always sit and have it in a relaxed manner so that we can gain energy to work hard throughout the day. As far as my household is concerned; breakfast is must for us. Moreover I always try to make it healthy and filling. 

I can understand the problem of every Indian lady either she's working or non-working that how busy our mornings are. Having a healthy breakfast is as important as preparing it as soon as possible. So, here I'm sharing a recipe which is not only healthy but it can be prepared in a very less time.

Today's recipe which is Rava Dhokla is not only quick but healthy too.You can pack it in your kids tiffin box. They will definitely enjoy it. You can also make it in your evening snacks and enjoy it with your tea.

So, let's begin with the recipe:

Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings.....The Healthier

             

Who doesn't love Chicken Wings. They are crispy, spicy and full of flavors. When you lick those flavorful wings there is a burst of flavors in your mouth.

But every good thing has a bad side too and if you ask me about these Chicken Wings then I would say the calorie part. So, I decided to recreate this recipe but this time in a healthier manner. 

I decided to bake these chicken wings instead of frying them. I have used minimal oil here just to brush the wings and later on in the sauce. So we don't have to worry about the calorie part.

Buffalo Chicken Wings require minimal effort to cook just add in all the ingredients and  pop these wings in the oven. Prepare the sauce and coat these wings and you're sorted. 

Traditionally these wings are served with ranch, blue cheese and a side of carrots and celery. But; I like to enjoy them as it is and feel the burst of flavors while having them.

So, without any further ado let's jump right into the recipe:

Rasgulla Pudding aka Rasgulla Payesh

 Hello fellas.......as the festival of Nolen Gur or Date Palm Jaggery is coming to an end let us all indulge ourselves in some of the delicacies prepared from Nolen Gur. The Harvest festival which is popularly known as "Makar Sankranti" in Hindi and "Poush Sankranti" in Bengali had just passed by and all the desserts prepared had Nolen Gur in them in some way or the other.

I have some recipes posted on my blog which are traditionally prepared by my Mom and Mom-in-law on the auspicious occasion of Poush Sankranti with Nolen Gur. You can click the link below to have a look:

• Gurer Paayesh/ Rice Pudding with Date Palm Jaggery
• Patishapta/ Crepes with coconut filing
• Nolen Gurer Sandesh/ Date Palm Jaggery Fudge

This time I thought of making something which doesn't require that much of arm workout and well, it's scrumptious too. The recipe which I'm trying to pen down is Rasgulla Pudding. If some guests are coming your way don't worry you can prepare it instantly; you just need to have Rasgullas handy and you're sorted.

I prepared this recipe with some homemade Rasgullas. You can find the recipe here . So, let's get started:

Mango Custard

Hello all.....hope you are doing well. Few days back we arranged a small get together at our home. Get togethers are always full of fun and having it over a weekend is like "FUN-TASTIC". It's always good to have your friends and family around. Thanks to the weekend parties and potlucks; these are certainly very refreshing and a good way to rejuvenate yourself.

I planned an elaborate menu for the get-together which included:

Papdi Chaat 

Garlicky Egg Curry

Paneer Butter Masala

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Chaap

Mango Custard 

In case you are interested to know the recipes just click the names and you'll be redirected to that page. Although I don't have the recipe of Chicken Chaap but sooner or later I would like to share that delectable dish from Kolkata a niche in my blog. 

Coming back to today's recipe i.e. Mango Custard. We all love mangoes and you can find out my love for mangoes in my blog too. I have so many recipes made out of the "King of Fruits". Usually custard is a cooked mixture of milk/cream and egg yolk; it's consistency can vary from thin pouring sauce to a thick pastry cream. The cooking option also varies. But, the method I used is very hassle free and crowd pleasing too.

Personally, I think nothing can beat the flavor of Mangoes so I never do any tampering with it. I just used Mango puree to prepare this custard, if you want you may add fresh fruits of your choice too.

Let's begin with the recipe:

Crab Croquettes

                         
Hello foodies, hope you all are doing good. It’s that time of the year when we all shed the layers of woolen clothes and get into some bright, beautiful colors of spring. Though, we don’t have official spring here in India but still I have seen many stores (clothing) offers discounts in the name of Spring……Lolzzzzz

Lately, it’s been too hot and humid here in Kolkata, West Bengal and I’m afraid how I’ll be surviving the upcoming months. I think the best way to deal with summer is to keep yourself hydrated every time. Drink as much as water you can which helps in releasing the toxins. Last year I had posted many summer special drinks and I’m sure they will help in quenching your thirst.

• Virgin Watermelon Sangria
• Aam Panna 
• Pinacolada
• Cucumber Lime Mojito
• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Ice-cream

Anyway I think I’m getting deviated from today’s post which is about Crabs. I haven’t tasted Crab until I went to US and trust me I didn’t like it much as I was getting a very weird kind of smell but when I came to India and found crab sticks in one of the superstores, I thought of trying it once again and the very first recipe which came to my mind was to make Croquettes out of those.

These Crab sticks are very hassle free to work with as they come ready to use. You don’t have to even crack the shells (that's the worst part of eating crab). The recipe calls for very few ingredients and the time it takes from pan to plate is less than 10 mins. Because it’s such a hassle free dish it works best when you have unplanned guests at your home provided you have crab sticks handy in your freezer. So, without any further ado let’s begin with the recipe:

Schezwan Rice

Few days back I took a day off from work and utilized it in the best possible way I could. I did whatever I had planned for that day but amid of all the chores, suddenly a thought ran through my mind - What to have for lunch? Well, I opened my Fridge and found some cute little veggies peeping through the vegetable basket. 

After seeing those I thought of preparing Noodles (usually that's the best option I get when I want to finish off my veggies). But with the flick of mind I thought why not Schezwan Rice! It was completely impromptu preparation but the end product was so palatable that I couldn't resist the blogger inside me to click few pics to blog. 

Schezwan Rice is one of the most loved dishes in Indo-Chinese cuisine. You can find this dish in almost every Menu Card of Indo-Chinese restaurant. If you love a little spicy food I'm sure you will love this dish too. I'm not a full-time spicy food lover but I do like it sometimes. It's hot, spicy and completely irresistible. 

The prime ingredient of this recipe is the: Schezwan Sauce. If you have it handy then making Schezwan Rice is like a child's play. I like to add lot of veggies to my Fried Rice. You can make this recipe completely Vegetarian or add meat of your choice. This time I added few shrimps. 

So, let's start with the recipe: 

Buffalo Style Chicken Wings......And Our Love For Buffalo Wild Wings

If anybody asks me what I miss most about USA then my one and only answer will be BUFFALO WILD WINGS!!!! It's an American casual dining restaurant cum Sports Bar which specializes in Chicken Wings and their 16 finger licking sauces.

You get fried Chicken Wings coated with their wide variety of sauces along with 6 different dippings to choose from. You can enjoy them with carrots and celery on the side. As I said they are specialized in Chicken Wings but you also check out their Burgers, Sandwiches, Quesadillas, Fries etc.... 

I have many memories linked with that restaurant: we celebrated our first weekend dining there, our first New Year and so many similar events. We were so much fond of that restaurant that we ate there than any other restaurant in Portland. 

They have their line in America, Canada, Mexico and Philippines. Unfortunately we don't have B-Dubs (that's a nick name given to Buffalo Wild Wings) in India. As I always rave that being a foodie is a blessing and a curse too. I crave for Buffalo style Chicken Wings so much in India that it enforced me to look for a recipe of it. Finally after many trials and errors I can say that I'm able to somewhat recreate that taste.

If you're living in USA then you can get their sauces readily available in their restaurants. You just have to make the wings and coat them with the sauces. Otherwise follow the recipe to enjoy Buffalo Style Wings at the comfort of your home.

I had grilled the wings in the microwave by just brushing them with little bit of oil. It's much healthier option than frying the wings. If you want you can deep fry them too. So let's start with the recipe:

Soya Chunks Fried Rice

I just love one pot meals as they are fuss free and requires minimal time for cooking. They just serve the best meals for those lazy lunches and dinners when you really want to take a day off from your kitchen. Yesterday was somewhat similar when I didn't want to enter my kitchen . 

We were out of town for a day to attend our friend's reception. I was very much tired and didn't want to make a 3 course meal for our lunch. As I was gazing through my pantry, a pack of Soya chunks caught my attention and suddenly this recipe struck into my mind. I call it 'Soya Chunks Fried Rice'.

This recipe is very close to my heart as this is my Mom's recipe. She would pack this fried rice in my lunchbox when I was a kid. With no surprise she would know that I will finish all my lunch with no leftovers at all; other days I used to make excuses. This one was my one of the favorites since my childhood. I know every Mom is familiar of those excuses from their kiddos.

As we all know Soyabean chunks has lots of nutritional values and they are well known as a meat substitute. Its extremely rich in protein. So, here's a recipe which is not only nutritious but also easy to make. You can add veggies of your choice (bell peppers, french beans, corns, carrots etc). But I like it this way.

So, let's start with the recipe:

Mango Lassi

Sometimes you just need very simple things to make yourself happy. Well, I follow this basic principle always. For me that can be a cup of coffee, getting drenched in the rain showers, playing with kids, browsing my childhood pics and the list goes on. 

Having a glassful of Lassi during summer gives me exactly same feeling but when it's Mango Lassi then my excitement gets no limits.

It was a season of Mangoes this year and we really enjoyed some of the popular varieties like Alphonso, Himsagar, Langda, Amrapali, Dussehri etc. I had posted many mango based recipes in my blog which are very easy to make yet delicious to taste. 

• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Ice-cream
• Mango Mousse
• Skinny Mango Cheesecake  

There are many more in my bucket list, will soon try to give them a place in my blog.

Summer is very much over and monsoon has already arrived in India. So, before saying adios to the king of fruits I thought of making a very popular yet very simple recipe; yes it's nothing other than Mango Lassi. Lassi is a cooling and refreshing drink made from yogurt and when it's blended with the flavors of Mango, it takes this traditional drink to the next level. 

So, let's give our Mango love a pause and get into the recipe of Mango Lassi:

Virgin Watermelon Sangria

As Summer in India at its peak, I was in a search of some cool ways to celebrate it. Being a food blogger what's better than celebrating it with a "Food"! I decided to post some chilling, cooling and at the same time drooling recipes to beat the summer heat. You may find couple of recipes in my blog as below mentioned, I am planning to add more very soon.

• Aam Panna
• Mango Ice-cream

This time I decided to do something different as always I do with my food. Well, at times I do end up with a complete flop show but most of the time it's a big hit amongst my family members.

As we all know Summers are synonyms to Watermelons. So, this time I decided to make Watermelon Sangria. The name Sangria is said to have its origin in Spain and Portugal. It is made up of chopped fruits, wine and small amount of sweetener. There was a little problem, I didn't want to add wine to it thus making my Watermelon Sangria completely virgin. 

After trying different combinations I came up with this recipe and trust me it not only looks great but tastes fantastic too. You just can't go wrong with the classic combination of Watermelon-Mint-Lime. Infact mint and lime is compatible with lots of different fruits. So, without any further ado let's jump straight into the recipe:

Aam Panna...Let's Beat the Heat In A Bong's Way

  

Indian Summers are back again and just a glassful of water is not enough to quench your thirst. Whether hungry or not I always find myself opening the refrigerator and looking for some cold and refreshing drinks. If you're a regular follower of my blog then you might be knowing that I always prefer homemade food and cold drinks are no different. 

I always find homemade fruit juices and drinks healthier and hygienic than the store bought or the ones that are readily available at the local juice stalls. In summers I always keep 2-3 different varieties of homemade fruit juices in my refrigerator. They not only refresh me but have great health benefits too.

Aam-Panna is a very popular summer drink which rejuvenates you immediately. It is prepared from raw green mangoes and it's sweet and tangy flavor is enjoyed by all. It not only helps in fighting the summer heat but also helps in digestion. A glass full of this chilled cooler makes you feel relaxed and gives you an instant energy. 

This is my take on Aam Panna. We Bengalis make this classic drink in a different way and have a different name too: "Aam Pora Shorbot". Try this nourishing cooler this summer and believe me your family will thank you for this refreshing drink.

Mango Ice Cream

Yes, you might be thinking that I have gone crazy. The season of Mangoes and Ice-creams has not been arrived yet or I must say we are just a few weeks away to indulge ourselves in the sweetness of mangoes and the rich, creamy goodness of Ice-creams.

To be very frank I am a die hard fan of Ice-creams and can enjoy it even in the subzero temperatures and when its Mango flavored I can't resist myself to have a scoop of it. Moreover who doesn't love mangoes after all it's the King of all fruits.

Recently, I found a can of mango puree in a departmental store and as usual I couldn't stop myself from buying it without a second thought. I was walking through the aisles and thinking what to do with this puree. Suddenly I turned and saw an aisle of ice-creams. Yippee!!! I got it. I decided to treat my family and of course myself with Mango Ice-cream.

Whenever we think of making ice-cream at home two thoughts comes in our mind successively:

• Will it be smooth, creamy, rich and soft like store bought?
• Is it possible to make ice-cream without an Ice-cream maker?

Well, the answer to all your questions is "Yes, Of course!" . It's just a pleasure when your ice-cream scooper glides through the ice-cream without encountering any ice crystals and yet you get a nice and perfect scoop. Moreover it requires very few ingredients and no cooking or churning. Just mix all the ingredients together and set it in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours. 

So let's dig into the divine flavors of Mango Ice-cream:

Palmiers.......Cute Little Hearts Cookies

Palmiers is a French Pastry which is also known as Elephant Ears or Angel Wings because of its shape. It is extremely light, flaky, caramely and buttery. Each time I bake Palmiers, I just fell amazed that how effortless and painless its recipe is. It's a perfect snack to munch on when you want something to eat during those odd hours of the day. 

These cookies are made up of puff pastry which is a dough wrapped around butter so the butter gets completely enclosed within the dough which is then rolled and folded over to double the number of layers and then the whole process is repeated. The number of times you repeat this process the more flaky your pastry will become. But making puff pastry at home is a very time consuming process and needs a lot of elbow greasing. Thanks to the frozen puff pastry sheets available at the supermarkets these days.

Making Palmiers at home becomes super easy if we have frozen puff pastry sheets in our freezer. You just need to thaw them, roll them, sprinkle granulated sugar and bake them. Ta-dah you're done! I know it's very difficult to resist until they cool down. I myself can't stay away from them for long. 

So let's get started:

Strawberry Shortcake Shooters......A complete party pleaser

These days my home is filled with gorgeous smell of baking. The nice aroma of freshly baked cakes, cupcakes and cookies is so alluring. I'm not a big fan of cookies and cakes but I do enjoy them during this time of the year to celebrate Christmas and the knocking New Year.

I always feel desserts should be a star of the party because life without sweetness is unthinkable. Having a dessert after appetizer and main course sometimes become challenging so it should be light as much as possible but at the same time no comprise with its taste and looks.

Whenever I have any get-together at my place after preparing the appetizer and main course I hardly have any energy left to work on my dessert. So I usually pick the ones which are instant and hassle free yet gorgeous looking.

There are few things I believe should be kept handy:

• Whipping Cream
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Any fresh or frozen fruits

Always have these things handy

If you have these things available in your pantry you can make endless number of desserts. Today I'm sharing "Strawberry Shortcake Shooters" a gorgeous looking, easy to make and hassle free dessert. 

Let's get started:

Khaman Dhokla in Microwave

Few days back my Sister-In-Law who happens to be the first follower on my Facebook page requested me for the recipe of Dhokla. Since we are in the mid of winter so I did not get chance to make the batter and ferment it. So I came up with this no ferment and instant recipe which can be made with just a blink of your eye. 

Dhokla is a soft, fluffy melt in mouth savory cake made from Gram flour (Besan). It is a very popular snack which originated in the western state of India i.e. Gujarat. However these days it can be found across India.

It is a dish which has undergone many disasters in my kitchen. But soon I realized making a perfect dhokla is not a rocket science. All you need to have is the right proportions of the ingredients and VOILA you are ready with one of the softest food items ever.

My Mom makes the best dhokla I have ever had. She's also known as "Dhokla Aunty" in her neighborhood. The texture and flavors she gets every time is  just incredible. 

There are many variations of dhokla. The traditional recipe calls for rice and urad daal (lentil). But here I'm going to share an instant version made with gram flour (besan). It is perfect for your tea time or when you have unexpected guests at your home.

So let's get started: