Indian Candies

Since I got married, I've discovered a lot of Indian dishes. My father-in-law (I call him Daddy) has introduced me to many new, exotic, Indian foods that were unfamiliar to my palate. Today, Daddy had me try a new Indian confection. When I tasted it, it immediately reminded me of the Vietnamese equivalent called kẹo mè xửng Huế, except that the candies contain rose water, whole cardamom pods, dates, poppy seeds, pistachio, cashew nut and almond.
Full Recipe...

Falling In Love with Bitter Melon

Several months ago, I shared a bitter melon recipe (called karela in Urdu) that Baji (my husband's paternal grandmother) used to make very often for the vegetarians in the family. Unlike the Vietnamese variety (known as bitter cucumber), Indian bitter melons have a spiky outer layer. Shana from North Carolina (a regular reader) asked me a very good question. "What does karela look like?" I looked back at the published recipe and realized I hadn't taken a picture of the raw product. Better late than never, here's how the odd-shaped vegetable looks. So next time you visit an Indian grocery store, you might want to grab a few, deep-fry them and stuff them with meat or lentils. Bitter melon is an acquired taste but give it a try. You may love it!
Full Recipe...

Indian Sweets from Hyderabad

Family friends from Hyderabad (India) came to visit us last weekend. They brought with them delicious specialties from Lulu's father's hometown. They're called "fruit biscuits". The texture is crumbly, just like a shortbread cookie with a strong rose flavor and a variety of dried fruits.
Full Recipe...

Fruit Chaat Recipe (Indian Spicy Fruit Salad)

Contrary to what one would think, fruit chaat is not your average fruit salad, and it's not served as a dessert. It's a savory snack. Several types of fruits are chopped up and mixed together, then seasoned with Indian spices such as chili powder, ground cumin and salt. For fruit chaat, bananas and oranges are a must; today I also added apples, grapes, apricots and mangoes, but you could combine any other fruits that are in season.

The first time I tasted it, my brain was expecting sweet flavors but my palate kept getting a savory signal. The subtle spiciness and tanginess with hints of cumin makes the dish very tasty. Next time you have a dinner party, this dish could make a perfect, and addition to your menu.

Full Recipe...

Taro Root Korma Recipe

Taro korma is an Indian vegetable curry. The spicy gravy contains fried onion paste and yogurt and is flavored with ginger-garlic paste as well as several Indian spices. Taro pieces are fried till crispy, and then finish cooking in the curry paste. Taro is a very starchy ingredient that makes the gravy a lot thicker and denser when added.

Kormas can be either vegetarian or "non-veg" with any assortment of vegetables, fried cheese such as paneer, or meat such as goat korma. I came up with this dish for a very simple reason: there was a basket full of taro waiting to be cooked!  Taro root usually doesn’t keep for more than a week, and it will turn sour when it's mixed and stored in the freezer. Buy it close to when you’re ready to cook, and enjoy it. It’s definitely worth the effort.

Full Recipe...