Fennel, juicy oranges, dried cranberries and capers all tossed in a leafy green salad with an orange vinaigrette makes this a wonderful sweet and tangy refreshing salad. Fresh oranges add a burst of citrus flavor while the fennel gives the salad a crunchy anise-like flavor. Add sweet dried cranberries, briny capers and a few nuts and this salad takes care of all flavors and textures – crunchy, soft, sweet, sour = delicious 😋. Continue reading Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad
Category Archives: From the Kitchen
Toasted Almond Cardamom Ice cream with Mint and Almond Liqueur
Almond and cardamom together in a recipe is nothing new to me as I have made many Indian sweets with these two ingredients, so I knew this combo would taste wonderful in an ice cream, but mint on the other hand is a new addition and I was dubious about adding it to this combo. This combination of flavors might sound unusual together but they actually taste really good in this ice cream. I would even venture to say this is an avant garde ice cream with flavors that are not typically seen together. Surprisingly though mint tastes wonderful in this ice cream as it adds a burst of unexpected minty freshness to the cardamom spice and almond flavors. It doesn’t take much to infuse the mint flavor as just a hint is all you need to give the ice cream that perplexed “I wonder what that flavor is 🤔?” type of reaction. Give it a try! Continue reading Toasted Almond Cardamom Ice cream with Mint and Almond Liqueur
Jazzed Up Store Bought Marinara Sauce with Garden Fresh Herbs
What can turn a simple store-bought jar of marinara sauce into something gourmet? Fresh herbs from the garden! This is a quick and easy recipe for a flavor packed marinara sauce that requires minimal work. When my daughter Anjali made this marinara sauce to go with her fresh homemade pasta, she added over 2 tbsp of fresh thyme, 2 tbsp of fresh oregano, and 2 tbsp of fresh chives. I tell you folks; all these herbs really enhance the marinara sauce to another level. The sauce tasted so good that Anjali said it reminded her of my homemade marinara sauce– that’s a compliment folks! Because my homemade marinara sauce takes hours to make, while this one just took 15 minutes! Continue reading Jazzed Up Store Bought Marinara Sauce with Garden Fresh Herbs
Making Fresh Bow Tie Pasta with Friends
Fresh homemade pasta truly has a taste onto its own. Tender pasta that is soft yet al-dente is so delicious that anything you add to it tastes amazing. We learnt how to make fresh homemade pasta from our friend Rose a while back and she learnt how to make pasta from a local Italian chef while vacationing in Italy, so you know it’s delicious! Continue reading Making Fresh Bow Tie Pasta with Friends
Roasted Fennel & Potato Arugula Salad
Arugula, roasted fennel and potatoes tossed with a simple vinaigrette make for a wonderful earthy salad. I got the idea for this salad when I was making my Roasted potato, fennel and arugula soup. This combination was so good together that I thought I’d try the same combo in a salad. I mean what’s not to like with garlicky roasted potatoes and fennel? Toss in peppery arugula and feta cheese and a simple vinaigrette, and what you have is a delicious salad perfect for lunch or dinner. Give it a try! Continue reading Roasted Fennel & Potato Arugula Salad
Honey Orange Saffron Ice Cream
Think vanilla ice cream with the delicate flavors of saffron, the sweetness of honey, and tender bits of orange. A while back I had bought over six jars of honey from a local beekeeper and I had so much honey that it gave me the opportunity to get adventurous with them. I made a few jars of flavored honey. One of the flavors I tried was tangerine flavored honey. To make this flavored honey I submerged tangerine slices along with saffron in a jar of honey. I then let the tangerine and saffron marinate for a few weeks. At the end of four weeks the honey developed a wonderful saffron orange flavor, and here’s the best part! The orange slices themselves had become nice and tender and honey sweet! Continue reading Honey Orange Saffron Ice Cream
Mixed Vegetable Upma. Cream of Wheat Pilaf
Upma is a savory South Indian pilaf usually made with cream of wheat and vegetables. Upma is made by roasting cream of wheat which is then seasoned with spices and veggies and then cooked until fluffy and soft. The spices in upma are minimal making it a simple dish that kids really enjoy. Upma can me made with any variety of vegetables such as cauliflower, spinach, potatoes, green beans, and carrots. Upma makes a delicious lunch or brunch option served with a side of plain yogurt or raita. Here is a recipe for a quick and easy upma that my Mom used to make with frozen mixted vegetables. Give it a try!
Spinach and Leek Saag Paneer
This Indian spinach dish called saag paneer is usually made with spinach, garlic, onions and paneer, but in this variation I thought I would experiment with leeks instead which gives this dish more of a green onion flavor. When leeks are in season I like to use them in leu of onions as they add a different type of onion flavor and a creamy texture to whatever dish they are used in. Leeks and spinach are a great combination and in this saag paneer they taste great together with all the spices and paneer. Continue reading Spinach and Leek Saag Paneer
Asafetida Cumin Vinaigrette
You’ve heard me mention asafetida many times as I have used it in plenty of my Indian recipes, but this is the first time I am sharing a recipe with asafetida in salad vinaigrette, and it tastes awesome! I love asafetida, I grew up with this spice in our South Indian cooking, and I love how it brings back warm memories of Mom’s cooking every time I get a whiff of asafetida. In a salad dressing this rather eclectic spice really adds an unexpected fragrance punch that I love. Continue reading Asafetida Cumin Vinaigrette
Golden Beet Salad with Asafetida Cumin Vinaigrette
Golden beets, edamame, baby spinach, peppers and onions all tossed in cumin and asafetida vinaigrette make this salad totally unique and delicious that is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. My friend Padmini brought this delicious golden beet salad with Indian vinaigrette for a picnic that we want on at Clos Les Chance Winery in Morgan Hill recently that was outstanding! Continue reading Golden Beet Salad with Asafetida Cumin Vinaigrette
