Murgh Makhani

Kundanlal Gujral, the founder of Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, New Delhi, was the first to bake chicken in a tandoor, creating the biggest invention in north Indian cuisine, the “Tandoori Chicken”. He also invented “Makhani gravy”, the mother of North Indian gravies, thus transforming Tandoori Chicken into delicious Murg Makhani or Butter Chicken. It…

Khichdi – The Soul Food of the Subcontinent

There are days when you are a bit under the weather; the palate detesting tel-masala (oil and spices). You crave for something simple and easy on stomach and you thank Almighty for bestowing mankind with the “KHICHDI“. This ancient, humble staple is popular around the subcontinent, where everyone seemingly has their own recipe for it,…

Sarson ka Saag

Nothing is more quintessentially Punjab than Sarson ka Saag and Makki ki Roti, it’s an earthy hearty food abundant in flavour, nutrients and colour; much like the land and the people it belongs to. The local cuisine of Punjab is heavily influenced by the agriculture and farming lifestyle prevalent from the times of the ancient Harappan civilisation. Locally grown staple foods form the…

Saas ni Machhi

The simplicity of complex flavours in this Parsi fish curry ‘Saas ni Macchi’ feels like a symphony on the palate. According to the Qissa-i-Sanjan (account of the early years of Parsi settlers on the Indian subcontinent), the Parsis fled to India from Iran, in mid seventh century, due to reasons of religious freedom. They were allowed to settle in…

Mangsha Besara

Mangsha Besara (Mutton cooked in mustard sauce) is a rustic, ancient dish from my motherland, the state of Odisha (erstwhile Orissa), in the eastern part of India. Jiggs Kalra – the author, columnist, gastronome, food consultant and restaurateur, considered the Czar of Indian Cuisine, once said “Some of the world’s most popular cuisines are made…

Mangalorean Kori Sukka

Indian west coast has been influenced for centuries by trade, invasion and asylum seekers. This coastline, which spreads from Mumbai to Calicut, boasts of a vast range of dishes, from  multiple culinary styles, which is an amalgamation of local taste and foreign influences. Dishes in south India used variety of local grown spices from time…

Rara Gosht

Rara Gosht (pronounced as Rada Gosht too) is a rich Mughlai dish which is said to have originated in the kitchen of Nawabs of Awadh (todays Lucknow) like innumerable other delectable dishes famous globally. Each Awadhi dish had its own combination of spices and a specific way of cooking, which was never compromised with. But…

Murgh Biryani

I have written down step by step recipe with each picture. This is my recipe. It might not match with yours or any “traditional” way of cooking biryani. I normally do not follow measurements while cooking, only “andaaz”. But for Biryani I suggest 1 : 2, that is one portion rice to two portion meat….

Nargisi Kofta

Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Central Asian cuisine. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat mixed with spices and/or onions. Koftas in India are usually served cooked in a spicy curry/gravy. Nargisi Kofta is a popular dish…