Masala Egg Scramble - Anda Bhurji

I sat on the staircase cuddling the bundle of clothes I had tied in my mom's dupatta (a multi purpose long scarf worn by South Asian women). The scent of my mom's on the dupatta was reassuring that I wasn't far from home. Far as much as a couple of metres feel like when you are a 10 year old. Dad and I had got into an argument over the volume of the television which disturbed his precious afternoon nap. I protested as I always did until dad went ahead the unplugged the wire. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I went to my room.

Zarda - Sweet Saffron Rice - Guest Post for Shayma of The Spice Spoon

In blogging world like in real life, ups and downs are as permanent as they can be. Shayma Saadat from the blog - The Spice Spoon, is one friend who has supported me from the beginning and never failed to encourage and brighten my day with her generosity and friendship. She brings her multi cultural roots from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran into a beautifully written memoir style food blog, which has recently made it to the list of  top 50 food websites by The Independent, UK.

Sweet and Spicy Kumquat Pickle

The cold has finally subsided, giving way to a spring like weather. The blankets and woolens are rolled back into the closet for next season. The windows are kept open all through the day, without the fear of cold air braving into our head. Until all of a sudden the sky turns to a neon orange, visibility goes down to zero and our little apartment is flooded in dust. We sigh, we go to bed promising each other to wake up to watch the sun rise if the country wasn't bathing in dust storm.

Flaky Blood Orange Tart with Salted Caramel Sauce

Friday brings mixed feelings to surface every single week. It is the only day of the week we get to spent together. Yet, before the day starts, fear of the day ending too fast starts evading my mind. The idea of sleeping through the day without having talked enough, cooked enough and done enough just scares me. Friday has to be special, something I can hold onto all week and look forward to the next.

Baked Dulce de leche Yogurt - Mishti Doi - Guest Post for Indian Simmer

Today’s recipe is inspired from a traditional sweet recipe from the city of Kolkatta called Mishti Doi, which M has childhood memories of. Mishti Doi is also called Lal doi meaning red yogurt due to it characteristic reddish color. It is made by caramelizing milk and then setting fresh yogurt in earthen pots. Considering I always have dulce de leche on hand, sweetening my hot chocolate and drizzling it over everything I bake, I figured it will work great for adding that caramelized flavor for Mishti doi. 

Beetroot with Mutton - Chukhandar Gosht

Growing up I only remember occasional traces of shredded beetroot in our salads, often overshadowed by many other ingredients, such that I could barely remember their taste. In my own kitchen, I often bought beetroot because 'I need to eat healthy stuff', but not until recently have I started appreciating it. My favorite juice these days is beetroot juice, that says something.