Appe

 Appe are soft, bite-sized South Indian dumplings made from fermented rice and lentil batter, cooked in a special appe pan. Crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, they’re perfect for breakfast or snacks.

Ingredients

• Rice – 2 cups

• Moong dal – 1 cup

• Urad dal – ¾ cup

• Chana dal – ¼ cup

• Fenugreek seeds (methi) – ½ tsp (optional, for softness & flavor)

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – for greasing appe pan

Optional add-ins for masala appe:

• Onion – 1 small (finely chopped)

• Green chili – 1 (finely chopped)

• Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)

• Curry leaves – few (finely chopped)

• Coriander leaves – handful (chopped)

• Carrot – 1 small (grated)

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Method

1. Soaking:

• Wash and soak rice, moong dal, urad dal, chana dal, and fenugreek seeds together for overnight.

2. Grinding:

• Drain water and grind to a smooth batter with little water (consistency like idli batter – slightly thick but pourable).

3. Fermentation:

• Transfer to a large vessel, cover, and allow it to ferment for 8–10 hours (or overnight) until the batter rises and turns slightly airy.

4. Preparing batter for appe:

• Add salt to the fermented batter.

• If making plain appe → keep as is.

• If making masala appe → mix onion, chili, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, and carrot.

5. Cooking appe:

• Heat appe (paniyaram) pan and grease with a few drops of oil in each cavity.

• Pour batter into each cavity till ¾ full.

• Cover and cook on medium flame for 3–4 minutes.

• Flip with a skewer or spoon, drizzle a little oil, and cook until golden brown and crisp on both sides.

6. Serving:

• Serve hot mint chutney

Stirfry Noodles

A bold, flavourful noodle stir-fry tossed in a rich dark soy sauce and the signature sweet-spicy kick of ABC chilli sauce. Fresh carrots, crisp capsicum, and tender onion add colour and crunch, making every bite a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and savoury depth. 

Ingredients (2 servings):

• 150g noodles

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 1½ tbsp ABC chili sauce (adjust to taste)

• 1 medium carrot – julienned

• 1 small capsicum – sliced into thin strips

• 1 medium onion – sliced

• 2 cloves garlic – minced

• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances heat)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Spring onion or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

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Instructions:

1. Cook noodles

   • Boil noodles according to packet instructions until just cooked (al dente).

   • Drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and toss with 1 tsp oil to prevent sticking.

2. Prepare stir-fry

   • Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.

   • Add 2 tbsp oil, then garlic and onion. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.

   • Toss in carrots and capsicum. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp. 

   • Add 1 tbsp dark soy sauce over the veggies and mix well

   • Add noodles to the wok, tossing well so sauce coats evenly.

   • Add 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and ABC chilli sauce and sugar aand toss well again.

   • Season with salt and pepper as needed.

3. Serve

   • Garnish with chopped spring onion or sesame seeds. Serve hot.

Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is a warm and comforting Indian dish made with yellow lentils, cooked until soft, and then topped with a flavourful tempering of ghee, cumin, garlic and spices. It’s simple yet packed with taste, and goes perfectly with rice or roti for a hearty, home-style meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups toor dal 

• 3 cups water

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp chili powder

• Jaggery

• Salt to taste

For tempering (tadka):

• 2 tbsp ghee (or oil)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 green chili, slit

• Hing

• 5 Curry leaves 
  
  

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Instructions:

1. Cook the dal

   • Wash the toor dal thoroughly.

   • Add them to a pressure cooker or pot with water and salt.

   • Pressure cook for 4–5 whistles or simmer in a pot until soft and mushy. Mash slightly.

2. Prepare the tempering

   • Heat ghee in a small pan.

   • Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

   • Add hing

   • Add garlic, sauté until golden.

   • Add green chilies 

   • Add curry leaves

   • Turn off the gas and add red chili powder

3. Combine and finish

   • Boil the cooked dal with jaggery and turmeric powder. Also add salt as needed.

   • Let it boil for 5 mins, while you prepare the tempering.

   • Once the tempering is ready, pour the tempering over the cooked dal. Mix well.

   • Put off the gas and cover.

   • Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

4. Serve

   • Serve hot with steamed rice, jeera rice, or roti.

Palak Puri

Palak Puri is a vibrant, deep-fried Indian bread made by mixing spinach purée with whole wheat flour and spices. Soft yet crisp, it’s a nutritious twist on the classic puri, perfect with potato curry, yogurt, or pickles.

Ingredients (makes ~12 puris)

• Whole wheat flour – 2 cups

• Spinach (palak) – 2 cups (tightly packed, washed)

• Chili powder - 1 tsp

• Ajwain (Caram seeds) - 1 tsp

• Salt – 1 tsp (or to taste)

• Oil – 2 tsp (for dough) + enough for deep frying

• Water – as needed

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Method

1. Prepare the spinach puree

1. Take boiling water in a pot.

2. Wash the spinach leaves

3. Add washed spinach leaves and blanch for 1–2 minutes until wilted.

4. Drain and immediately transfer to a plate to cool down

5. Once its cools down, blend blanched spinach and keep aside

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2. Make the dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, add wheat flour, salt, chili powder, ajwain and 2 tsp oil.

2. Add the spinach purée gradually and mix.

3. Knead into a firm but smooth dough (like puri dough—slightly stiffer than roti dough).

4. Rest for 10–15 minutes, covered.

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3. Roll the puris

1. Divide dough into lemon-sized balls.

2. Roll each ball into a small circle

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4. Fry the puris

1. Heat oil in a deep pan until hot (medium-high heat).

2. Fry each puri, gently pressing with a slotted spoon so it puffs up.

3. Flip and fry until both sides are golden-green.

4. Drain on paper towels.

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Serving suggestion

• Best served hot with potato curry, chole, or plain yogurt with pickle.

Vangi Batatyachi Bhaji / Brinjal & Potato Dry Sabzi (Maharashtrian Style)

This is a traditional Maharashtrian-style dry sabzi made with small eggplants (brinjals) and potatoes, enriched with a variety of aromatic spices, coconut, and peanuts. It pairs perfectly with hot rotis or chapatis.

Goda masala is at the heart of this regional flavor, known for its rich, mildly sweet, earthy, and subtly smoky taste. It adds a warm and layered aroma without overwhelming the dish. The combination of coconut and peanut powder lends a hearty texture and depth, while jaggery softens the heat from the green chilies, creating a beautifully balanced sweet-spicy profile. A tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, curry leaves, and hing forms the aromatic foundation that ties all the elements together.

 Ingredients

4–5 small brinjals (eggplants), cut into quarters (keep them in salted water)

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

half tsp fennel seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp goda masala

2 tsp jaggery

2 tbsp grated coconut

2 tbsp peanut powder

Curry leaves

2 green chilies - slit vertically

Oil

Salt

Procedure

1. In a small pan, heat a bit of oil and add the mustard seeds.

2. Once they splutter, add the cumin seeds, and fennel seeds

3. Next add the hing, curry leaves and green chilies

4. Finally add the chopped brinjal and potatoes and add salt (as per taste)

5. Cook this on a high flame. In the mean time, add all the masalas. Ass turmeric powder, chili powder, goda masala, corainder powder, cumin powder and stir nicely

6. Next add the jaggery, grated coconut and the peanut powder and mix well.

7. Turn it on a low flame and cook it covered for another 15 mins. Keep strring in between

8. The eggplants cook very fast, Once the potatoed are cooked, it is ready to serve

Serve it hot with rotis or chapatis.

Moong Dal Ladoo

Moong Dal Ladoo is a delicious Indian sweet made with roasted yellow moong dal, ghee, and sugar, flavored with cardamom. These golden ladoos are soft, rich, and melt in your mouth.

 The roasted moong dal gives them a nutty flavor, and the ghee adds a smooth, buttery texture. Often topped with nuts, they are a perfect treat for festivals, special occasions, or just to enjoy as a healthy, homemade snack. Simple yet full of flavor, these ladoos are both tasty and nutritious!

Ingredients:

• Moong dal (yellow split gram) – 1 cup
• Ghee – 1/2 cup
• Caster sugar  – 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
• Cardamom powder – 1 teaspoon
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios) – 2 tablespoons, finely chopped 

Procedure:

1. Roast the Moong Dal:

   • Wash the moong dal thoroughly and dry it completely on a clean cloth.
   • Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and dry roast the moong dal on low-medium flame until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
   • Let it cool slightly, then grind it into a fine powder using a blender or grinder.

2. Prepare the Ladoos:

   • Heat ghee in a pan to melt it. 
   • Add the ground moong dal powder to the molten ghee and stir continuously.
   • Add the caster sugar, cardamom powder, and the chopped nuts. Mix thoroughly to combine.

3. Shape the Ladoos:

   • While the mixture is warm, take small portions and shape them into round ladoos using your palms.
   • If the mixture feels dry, add a little warm ghee to help bind it.

4. Cool and Store:

   • Place the ladoos on a plate and let them cool completely.
   • Store in an airtight container. These ladoos can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

Quesadilla

Quesadilla is a Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla that is stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, corns, beans and other fillings along with some spices, and then toasted. 

This recipe is the creation of my 12-year-old daughter, who has been experimenting with her culinary talents. She’s become my newest source of inspiration and creativity in the kitchen! I am so proud of her!!

Ingredients:

• Corn tortilla wraps (We used Coles Burrito Tortilla Wraps)
• Boiled corn
• Black beans
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped capsicum
• Sliced Olives
• Sliced Jalapenos
• Onion powder
• Salt
• Oregano

Procedure:

1. Take a big mixing bowl and add in all the above ingredients except for the Tortilla wraps and cheese.
2. Take a Tortilla wrap and lay it on a clean surface.
3. Sprinkle some shredded cheese over half of the tortilla
4. Then spread the mixture on the same half side of tortilla
5. Again sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Layering like this helps sealing the tortilla
6. Fold the upper half to create a half moon shape
7. Grill it on a toaster
8. Cut into two pieces and serve

Paneer Puffs

This recipe is one of my own creation and I am very proud of it. 

Anyone who tastes it, falls in love with it!

To be honest, the preparation method is not very simple. It does take time and patience to get this done with perfection. But at the end, you will realize its worth the effort.

Ingredients:

For Paneer stuffing masala:

200 gms Paneer - cut in cubes
1 cup Green, Yellow and Red Bell peppers - cut in cubes
Half Onion - cut in cubes
2 Tomatoes - chopped finely.
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - half tsp
Fennel (saunf) Seeds - half tsp
Coriander seeds (hand crushed) - half tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste
Hing

Coriander powder - half tsp

Cumin powder - half tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

For Puffs:

Paneer stuffing (recipe given below)
Puff Pastry Sheets - 3


Procedure:

Preparing the Paneer stuffing masala

1. In a vok, add oil, and hing, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook it till the raw smell of the garlic disappears
3. Next add the bell peppers and onion and cook it on a high flame for 2-3 mins till it is half cooked. 
4. Add the chopped tomatoes. Let it cook properly on a medium flame. Add salt.
5. Add the red chili powder, Garam masala, Coriander powder and the Cumin powder and mix well.
6. Slowly add paneer cubes and let it cook on a low flame.
7. Add the Kasuri Methi and mix again.
8. Keep this aside, spread it on a plate and let it cool down

Preparing the Paneer puff

1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets by keeping it out at normal temperature for about 15 - 20 mins.
2. Meanwhile, we can prepare the paneer stuffing masala for the puffs. (Explained above)
3. Take a puff pastry sheet and using a pizza cutter or a knife divide it into 4 equal parts by cutting once vertically and once horizontally
4. Place the masala at the middle bottom portion.
5. Press the sides to stick it and using a fork, try pressing on it. It helps in binding the sides well as well as gives it a nice look.
6. As you are preparing the puffs, Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 degrees.
7. Bake the puffs for 30 mins till it is nice golden brown.

The Paneer Puffs are ready to serve.
Serve it with ketchup.

Barbeque Party - Panner Skewers with Veggies

 We have this amazing Metador Charcoal Bbq and its a welcome addition to our kitchen experiments in summer.

We love to Barbeque Paneer skewers along with Portobello Flat Mushrooms, Corn, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, etc , etc

Corn on the cob tastes really amazing - juicy and sweet

Portobello Flat Mushrooms is delicious as well. Toss them along with some olive oil, Italian seasoning like Oregano, salt and pepper and just barbeque , it takes them at the next level, very delicious and juicy.

Onions, carrots, sweet potatoes and potatoes can be barbequed with no seasonings, they get a very smoky and unique flavor.

We also tried the Halloumi Cheese, but not really a big fan of that 

And Last , but not the least, Paneer Skewers, which is the highlights of your Barbeque Party

Prepare the marination by mixing Curd, Garam Masala, Chili Powder, Corainder Powder, Cumin Powder,  Salt and Besan in a bowl. Toss the cubed Paneer and cubed veggies like Onion, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Bell peppers, etc and put them on skewers. sprinkle some ghee or butter and barbeque them. Enjoy the skewers with mint chutney.

Spinach Pasta

This is a quick and easy recipe to prepare the green pasta sauce, based on spinach puree.

Its super healthy, full on flavor and just delicious!!

Do try it out!

 Ingredients

Pasta - 1 cup
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Spinach - 1 bunch

Pepper - fresh ground
Garlic - finely chopped - 4 petals
Parmesan Cheese - for garnish

Lemon - while serving

Oregano - garnish
Salt
Water

Procedure

1. Boil the pasta of your choice along with salt till the pasta is soft. Drain the water and keep aside
2. Wash the spinach thoroughly and blanch it and keep aside to cool.
3. Once its cooled, blend it in a mixer to a smooth paste.
4. In a pan, pour 2 table spoon olive oil, Add the chopped garlic and fry them till raw smell disappears.
5. Next add the spinach puree and let it cook for a couple of mins.
6. Add salt and pepper for seasoning.
7. Finally add the cooked pasta. Add salt if required
8. Stir well and turn off the gas
9. Sprinkle some lemon juice while serving
10. Also garnish with Parmesan cheese, oregano and pepper 

The delicious Spinach Pasta is ready.